Canada's net presence key to 4th straight win at women's volleyball worlds
Outblock Thailand 13-5 while Alexa Gray, Kiera Van Ryk lead attack in Łódź, Poland
Canada carried the momentum from a thrilling five-set comeback win over Germany to post its fourth consecutive victory at the FIVB women's volleyball world championship on Tuesday.
Led by outside hitters Alexa Gray and Kiera Van Ryk, the Canadians defeated Thailand 25-19, 25-21, 23-25, 25-22 in the opening match of Phase 2 in Łódź, Poland.
"I thought we did a great job of executing the game plan," Canada head coach Shannon Winzer told Volleyball Canada. "We were fairly consistent throughout the match.
"In the third set when we were behind, we were trying to do too much, but we came back to the fourth set like we approached the first two — let's keep calm, get the good reads, let's get good moves and control what we can, which works for us."
Gray and Van Ryk scored 25 and 24 points, respectively, and fittingly put the finishing touches on the victory. Van Ryk of Surrey, B.C., scored a point off a block to snap a 22-22 tie in the fourth set while Calgary's Gray ended a long rally with a kill down the middle before her teammate's spike sealed the win.
"I'm happy my teammates had my back and kept pushing me," Gray said. "It's going to be a hard week for us."
Ranked 15th in the world, Canada had never reached the second phase of worlds, but is guaranteed another three games, starting Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. ET against No. 7 Turkey, which swept Germany on Tuesday.
The Canadians experienced a slow start at the 24-team tournament with losses to Serbia and United States but reeled off victories against Kazakhstan, Bulgarian and Germany before Tuesday to finish third in Pool C with a 3-2 record and qualify seventh in its eight-team group for Phase 2.
WATCH | Full coverage of Canada's 3-1 sets victory over Thailand:
The top four teams from each pool advance to the quarter-finals.
On Tuesday, the teams were nearly even on attack points (65-63 Canada) and scoring via opponent errors (16-15 Canada) but the Canadians dominated at the net, outblocking Thailand 13-5.
Trailing 8-5 in the final set, Canada drew even at 10-10 on consecutive blocks by Vicky Savard and Brie King, who put her team ahead 12-11 with her second block point of the match.
Successful floor touch challenge shifts momentum
The Canadians built a 14-11 advantage on a Van Ryk hit from the backcourt and maintained a 16-13 lead on Gray's spike inside the end line.
Canada was up 20-17 but appeared to lose momentum until it won a floor touch challenge for a 21-19 lead.
WATCH | Van Ryk, Gray key to Canada's success at worlds:
In the first set, the Canadians grabbed a 10-6 advantage when it began forcing 14th-ranked Thailand into making mistakes. The Thai players didn't give up, however, going on a 6-3 run to cut the deficit to 13-12 and pulled event at 14-14 on a Van Ryk service error and an overpass by a Canadian player on service reception.
We are serving tough ... and it's getting teams out of system and that's helping us huge with defence.— Canada outside hitter Alexa Gray
But Canada never trailed again in the set, taking advantage of Thai service errors while outside hitter Hilary Howe, Gray and Van Ryk stepped up.
"We are serving tough this tournament and it's getting teams out of system and that's helping us huge with defence," Gray told Volleyball Canada. "All the hard work in practice is paying off.
"I think we're playing real well as a unit and players are coming off the bench and making great plays, and I'm really excited as we have a solid team."
The teams exchanged points early in the second set until a key block by Van Ryk opened up a 9-7 lead for the Canadians, who later trailed 13-12.
"We don't need to force [the play]," Winzer told her players during a timeout. "We're not done."
Canada responded well out of the timeout, with Howe's kill tying the set, of which Gray soon took control.
First, her cross-court hit put the Canadians ahead 15-13. Another stellar cross-court hit followed after a great big by Jennifer Cross as Canada's defence was full marks for a 19-16 lead.
Gray made it 20-17 and 22-18 with a hit down the middle.
"I'm really pleased," Winzer said after the second set, "but there's a lot of game to go. … Our blockers are doing an amazing job right now."
Live action from the tournament is available via stream for free on CBCSports.ca, CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.
Stream schedule
Wednesday, Oct. 5
11:30 a.m. ET - Canada vs. Turkey
Friday, Oct. 7
2:30 p.m. ET - Canada vs. Poland
Saturday, Oct. 8
1 p.m. ET - Canada vs. Dominican Republic
Canada's roster
- Jennifer Cross — Scarborough, Ont.
- Alexa Gray — Calgary
- Hilary Howe — Calgary
- Brie King — Surrey, B.C.
- Caroline Livingston — Kelowna, B.C.
- Emily Maglio — Coquitlam, B.C.
- Andrea Mitrovic — Mississauga, Ont.
- Alicia Ogoms — Winnipeg
- Kim Robitaille — Repentigny, Que.
- Jazmine White — Oshawa, Ont.
- Kiera Van Ryk — Surrey, B.C.
- Vicky Savard — Jonquière, Que.
- Julia Murmann — Toronto
- Arielle Palermo — Burlington, Ont.
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