Al Arabi’s challenge ends in semifinal
DOHA: Al Arabi’s challenge at the 2017 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship ended in the semifinals after they lost 25-23, 25-17, 25-19 to reigning champions Sarmayeh Bank of Iran.
In a repeat of last year’s final, Sarmayeh Bank proved too tough a nut to crack for the Qatari side in the match played at Ninh Binh Gymnasium in Vietnam on Wednesday. Arabi had been in irresistible form in the last three matches thanks mainly to the power game of Mohammed Ibrahim and Grozer Gyorgy, but they came undone when it mattered the most.
Sarmayeh Bank will take on Toyoda Gosei Trefuerza in the final after Croatian Igor Omrcen scored 33 points to help the Japanese side storm past Kazakhstan’s Altay VC with a sensational 25-16,25-22,25-22 victory.
Arabi will now take on Altay in the third-place play-off.
Earlier, China’s Beijing Baic Motor thrashed hosts Vietnam SC 26-24, 25-19, 25-19 to grab fifth place. Yin Jie once again became the top scorer with 14 points including 11 spikes while Wang Chen and Yang Fan added 13 and 12 points respectively for the Chinese team.
