Canada will be aiming to level its record at 2-2 when it plays Serbia on Sunday to cap off the first week of women’s Volleyball Nations League action.
Canada slipped to 1-2 with a 3-0 loss to Japan in a best-of-five match played Saturday in front of more than 5,100 spectators at the Arena at TD Place in Ottawa.
Canada dropped the match to Japan 24-26, 20-25, 19-25. The unbeaten Japan squad led in attack points (39-33), serving (7-3) and made fewer errors 19-30).
“Japan is really tough to play against, and we were right there with them,” said Canadian setter Brie O’Reilly of Langley, B.C. “We’re just missing those after-20 [points] plays and finishing sets.
“We need to stay aggressive and take confidence that there was a lot of our game that was really great.”
WATCH l Canadian women fall to Japan in straight sets:
Japan defeats Canada 26-24, 25-20, 25-18 in FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League action from TD Place in Ottawa.
O’Reilly said the Canadians need to server more aggressively against Serbia and “just keep our block defence systems working a bit more cohesively.”
Kiera Van Ryk of Surrey, B.C., led the scoring for Canada with 13 points and also set a personal best with a serve clocked at 113 kilometres per hour.
Yukiko Wada of Japan led her team with 20 points.
Canada opened the VNL schedule with a win over Bulgaria and then lost a Thursday match to Netherlands.
Watch live coverage of Canada’s match against Serbia on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem, starting at 6 p.m. ET. For a full streaming schedule of volleyball events this season, click here.
WATCH | Full match replay — Japan vs. Canada:
Watch Canada face Japan in FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League action from TD Place in Ottawa.
Canada roster
- Jessica Andrews — Guelph, Ont.
- Lucy Borowski — Vancouver
- Abby Guezen — Sherwood Park, Alta.
- Hilary Johnson — Calgary
- Kacey Jost — St. Albert, Alta.
- Emily Maglio — Coquitlam, B.C.
- Andrea Mitrovic — Mississauga, Ont.
- Julia Murmann — Toronto
- Brie O’Reilly — Langley, B.C.
- Quinn Pelland — Wanham, Alta.
- Anna Smrek — Welland, Ont.
- Raya Surinx — Winnipeg
- Nyadholi Thokbuom — Calgary
- Kiera Van Ryk — Surrey, B.C.
- Delaney Watson — St. Jacobs, Ont.
- Jazmine White — Oshawa, Ont.
About The Author
More Stories
For some, it’s #MeToo vs. #HimToo at the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial
How Edmonton Oilers fans in B.C. cheer for their team on the other side of the Rockies
Summer McIntosh smashes women’s 400m freestyle world record at Canadian swim trials