Thailand Tour – April, 2011
Australian National Junior Men’s Team – (’93-’94 NJM)
v. Khamthalesor
in Bangkok, Thailand

Match #3 – 23rd April 2011
AUS NJM defeated K’thalesor 3:2
25-27,25-23, 21-25, 26-24,15-13

’93-’94 NJM (Points scored):
1 Gerrard Lipscombe (Libero)
4 Corey Leathart (DNP)
5 Chris Morrow (3)
6 Brad Mason (8)
9 Jordan Power (22)
10 Beau Graham (11)
14 Sam Brisbane (0)
15 Simon Hone (5)
16 Rory Welsh (C) (4)
17 Jake Guymer (15)
18 Tom Menzies (3)
19 Nic Borgeaud (6)

Match Statistics:
Attack – Team 43% kill 17% err (26%ke)
Graham 73% kill (11) 0% err
Guymer 62% kill (16) 0% err
Morrow 60% kill (5) 20% err

Block – Team 13 kills 21 controls
Guymer 5 kills 7 controls
Hone 3 kills 2 controls
Power 2 kills 3 controls

Passing – Team 1.68 28% perfect 9 err
Lipscombe 1.84 (44) 34% perfect 4 err

Serving – Team 1.90 8 ace 12 errors
Graham 2.19 (16)- 2 aces 2 errs,
Mason 2.09 (11) – 2 aces & 2 errs, Power 2 aces

Defence – Team 16 digs
Lipscombe – 5 digs, Mason 4

The Australian National Junior Men’s team has travelled to Thailand to take part in the Thailand National Junior (under 21) Men’s Championships. The team includes 6 players making their international debut in this 17 team tournament.

MATCH – REPORT
In their first match of the ¼ final pool the National Junior Men’s Team (NJM) outlasted the local team in an absolute cliff-hanger. The match was always going to be a little tougher as the Australian team were playing without Leathart who is still recovering from knee surgery and had to be rested. Australia took the early lead in the first set but it was short lived as too many errors on service and attack turned that into a 16-21 deficit. But as they have proven a number of times already, this Aussie team has a good fighting spirit which they used to draw level. Unfortunately two more service errors after 22, made winning difficult and the Thaïs took the set 27-25.

The NJM were able to more than halve their errors in the 2nd set, while also improving their attack kill percentage. Our middles were dominating in attack, although our pass was struggling with some tough serving which made Welsh and Brisbane’s job tougher in trying to use the middle. The guys kept their nerve in another tight set to win 25-23.

The Thai team opened a significant 8-2 lead early in the 3rd as our passers struggled to find consistency. The NJM again staged a fight back to get within one point before the Thais took the set.

By the 4th set Power was playing as a Passer while still hitting the Back Row attacks, while Hone was at Opposite in an attempt to put more blocking pressure on their attack. The move worked early as the team took an 8-5 lead. The Thais gradually clawed back the lead, created their own break, and eventually established a convincing match point situation at 24-19. The Australians were in need of some heroics if they were to rescue this match. The Thais had a transition attack for the match which was deflected to position one corner, Lipscombe chased hard and with an amazing diving effort saved the ball, knocked it higher, but further out of court.
From that save Jordan Power had to chase then dig it over from the subs square at the back corner of the hall. The Australians won the ensuing rally and the lift in the team’s spirits was visible. Beau Graham then served 6 consecutive jump serves as the Aussies defended, blocked and transitioned their way to an incredible 26-24 win and a 5th set.

The 5th set was just as close. Australia turned in front at 8-6 but as usual the Thais fought back. The Aussies were so pumped that their attack was virtually unstoppable (75% kill for the set). Another quick kill by Jake Guymer sealed the win 15-13. It is a win that the team will remember for a long time.

The win guarantees the 93-94 NJM of a top 4 finish. Tomorrow they play the strong Navy team to decide our semi-final opponents.

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