Japan’s volleyball women’s national team unexpectedly eliminated from the first round league…to carry on the spirit of Sarina Koga’s “ace in tears
Only at the Olympics can the Japanese women's volleyball team be redeemed for their defeat at the Olympics.
The ace who led Japan’s women’s volleyball team left the court with tears in her eyes.
The Japanese women’s volleyball team, ranked seventh in the world, was aiming for a medal, but disappeared in the first round league.
After the third league match against Kenya, Sarina Koga (28), surrounded by her teammates, plopped down on the court and sobbed after a photo shoot. She had been acting stout-heartedly, but she could not hold back her emotions.
I didn’t think about being captain today, I just fought as Sarina Koga, who loves volleyball,” she said in a televised interview.
In a live broadcast interview, she squeezed out these words and shed tears once again.
After all the league matches, Japan was unable to surpass the United States, who had the same number of wins and points, in terms of set percentage, and was eliminated from the first round league. Japan’s dream of winning a medal for the first time in 12 years since the London Olympics was crushed.
What was missing from the Japanese team? Kota Yamamura, a former member of the Japanese men’s volleyball team, offers his analysis.
Compared to other countries, I think Japan lacked the power and frequency of the back attack, which is an attack from behind the line of attack. In recent years, the strong players overseas have become taller and taller, making the back attack more effective. Until now, we have played with speed by strengthening our “Mach and Jet,” attacking within one second of the toss, but Japan, with its inferior size, will need to increase its back attack even more and improve its decisive power.”
