CAVA Women’s Volleyball Nations League:
Iran eases past Kyrgyzstan in opener
Iran got off to flying start at the CAVA Women’s Volleyball Nations League in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, coming out victorious over Kyrgyzstan in straight sets (25-12, 25-18, 25-13) on Wednesday.
“The players were in action for the first time in a while, and since it was their opening match, they were a bit nervous. I had expected them to replicate the form they showed in training, but the nerves got in the way. I’m still pleased with their decent performance and how they fought until the very last moment,” Iran head coach Lee Do-hee said after the game.
A second outing for the Iranian girls at the tournament, featuring four Central Asian nations, will come gainst Tajikistan today, followed by a game against the host in the final round of the league phase on Friday.
“Tajikistan, who, like Kyrgyzstan, isn't a top-tier team. That’s why I want the players to treat this as a warm-up for future major events. We need to see better execution of our practice drills and a more courageous style of play to ensure we're ready for the challenges that lie ahead," added the South Korean coach, who welcomed the occasion as a perfect preparation for the Islamic Solidarity Games, starting November 7 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Aytak Salamat, Shabnam Alikhani, Reihaneh Karimi, Negar Hashemi, Fatemeh Khalili, and Elaheh Poursaleh started the game for Iran, which settled for a third-place finish in last year’s event.
Shaqayeq Hassankhani, Zahra Karimi, Paria Hajatmand, Noura Mohammadi, Fatemeh Manzouri, Nazanin Alizadeh, Zahra Salehi, and Ghazaleh Bostan complete the Iranian squad in the Uzbek capital.
"Considering this was Iran's first match in the tournament, the first set was a bit of a struggle. However, from the second set onward, our team found its rhythm and we were able to play more comfortably and with higher quality. I have no doubt each player will only improve from here," Hassankhani said after Wednesday’s victory.
“The level of competition here is very high. However, due to some changes in the schedule and hosting, fewer teams were able to participate. Nonetheless, we will strive to achieve the best possible result among the teams that are here,” added the outside hitter.
The top two teams in the league table will square off in the final showpiece on Sunday, with the other two going head-to-head in the third-place showdown.