Chinese Taipei produced a brilliant comeback after being 2-0 down to take the last three sets and win 3-2 against Bahrain yesterday in the only preliminary round Pool D match of the 22nd Asian Senior Men’s Volleyball Championship in Urmia, Iran.
Bahrain had stormed into what seemed to be a match-defining 2-0 lead after winning the first set 25-23, and clinching the second 25-22.
But, in the third set, after both teams were level on 6-6 at one stage, Chinese Taipei surged into a 10-8 lead and steadily increased their advantage until they were leading 16-11.
Soon, Taipei were leading 21-15 and it appeared that they would take the set easily.
But, in a remarkable passage of play, Bahrain fought back, scoring five points to Taipei’s two and the scoreboard showed only three points separating the two teams, at 23-20.
The set was still Taipei’s to win, however, and they made sure of that by quickly scoring the two points they needed to take it 25-21.
Bahrain were still ahead, 2-1, and only needed to clinch the fourth set to win the game.
Taipei, though, had found the rhythm they lacked in the first two sets and, even though Bahrain led, 8-6, at one stage, easily swept into a 16-13 lead.
Constantly under pressure now, Bahrain still managed to reduce the deficit to just one, at 15-16, but Taipei quickly scored three points more and the scoreboard read 19-16 in their favour.
Given the run of play, it looked like Taipei would now take the fourth set easily. But Bahrain had other plans, as they scored three points in quick succession to draw level at 19-19.
However, Taipei quickly increased their lead to two points again, at 22-20, and, before long, took the set 25-22, to draw level in the match at two sets each.
As soon as the fifth and final set started, Bahrain sought to impose themselves on their opponents, much as they had succeeded in doing in the first two sets.
But, after the two sides had battled to 5-5 each, the Taipei team edged ahead, at 8-6.
With all to play for, the Bahrainis were not about to give up and drew level again at 8-8, before the Taipei team eked out another two-point lead, at 12-10.
Aware that their opponents now needed only three more points to win the set and the game (the fifth set in volleyball goes to the team that reaches 15 points first), the Bahraini players put their bodies on the line as they flung themselves about in desperate attempts to keep their side in the game.
But it was all to no avail as the Taipei team took the set, 15-11, and started celebrating joyously with the players on the bench and support staff.
Despite the loss, Bahrain will still go through to the next round along with Chinese Taipei because, in the absence of Mongolia – who were supposed to be the third team in their group but withdrew just before the tournament – the two teams will have no further preliminary round matches.
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