Volero Zürich vs Bangkok Glass. INQUIRER PHOTO/Sherwin Vardeleon
Volero Zürich started its journey in the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship on a high note handily taking down Southeast Asian power Bangkok Glass, 25-21, 25-19, 25-23, Tuesday at Mall of Asia Arena.
Dobriana Rabadzhieva made sure last year’s third placers would tack on a win in their first day in the tournament with a off-the-block kill no one from Bangkok Glass was able to defend.
Volero head coach Zoran Terzic said his team did not play at its best with early jitters forcing them into several errors.
“In this kind of competition, the first game is very difficult, we didn’t play our best today, and it’s normal,” said Terzic. “Definitely my players were not relaxed in the court and I hope in the next game we’ll play much better without pressure.”
Volero committed 21 errors, 10 more than what Bangkok Glass made, and Terzic said his players failed to calm their nerves during the match against the third placers in the 2016 Asian club championships.
“If you work at practice one way and during the game you try to change something because you’re scared or nervous, you’ll make a lot of mistakes.”
Olesia Rykhliuk led the Swiss club with 20 points while Rabadzhieva and Foluke Akinradewo finished with 17 and 11 points, respectively.
Wilavan Apinyapong had 12 points to lead Bangkok Glass while Ashley Frazier added 11.