Chinese team captain and global volleyball superstar Zhu Ting has been confirmed as a part of the Chinese roster for week 3 of the 2018 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League. The outside hitter and 2016 Olympic MVP has missed the first two weeks of action on a 10-day break after helping lead her Turkish pro team VakifBank Istanbul to the Champions League title earlier this month.
After some medical evaluations, rest, and time to visit her family, Zhu rejoined the team for training in Hong Kong this week – although it was mostly technical training as compared to full-blown physical training. Now she’s been added to the roster for the team’s week-3 matchups against Argentina, Japan, and Italy.
She replaces 27-year old veteran outside hitter Yichan Zhang, who has only scored 1 point so far in the competition.
China went 3-3 in their two weeks without Zhu, which currently ranks them 8th in the tournament. They host the Final 6 (along with 4 of their 5 preliminary pools), which results in an automatic bid to the next stage of the tournament, but fans and press in China have criticized the team for its lackluster play, especially in week 2. 18-year old Yingying Li emerged as a potential star for the side in week 1 in her senior national team debut at opposite, but she didn’t play in week 2 and focused most of her training on floor defense – the weakest part of her game.
The team continues to be without Yuan Xinyue, Gao Yi, and Liu Yanhan for the second-straight week, after the trio left to represent China in the World Military Championships. Zhang Changning, another usual contributor to the team, also is absent as she recovers from injury.
Week 3 rosters for Pool 12 in Hong Kong
ARGENTINA
6. Elina Rodriguez, 8. Sol Piccolo, 9. Clarisa Sagardia, 10. Florencia Tosi, 11. (Captain) Julieta Constanza Lazcano, 12. Tatiana Soledad Rizzo, 15. Antonela Fortuna, 16. Florencia Natasha Busquets Reyes, 17. Helena Vidal, 19. Morena Martinez Franks, 22. Camila Hiruela Tapia, 23. Agnes Victoria Michel Tosi, 24. Victoria Zabala, 26. Agostina Denisse Soria. Coach: Guillermo Orduna
CHINA
2. (Captain) Ting Zhu, 3. Fangxu Yang, 4. Hanyu Yang, 6. Xiangyu Gong, 7. Yuanyuan Wang, 10. Xiaotong Liu, 11. Di Yao, 12. Yingying Li, 15. Li Lin, 16. Xia Ding , 17. Ni Yan, 18. Mengjie Wang, 20. Fang Duan, 25. Mingyuan Hu. Coach: Lang Ping
ITALY
- Setters: Ofelia Malinov, Carlotta Cambi;
- Opposites: Paola Egonu e Camilla Mingardi;
- Outside Hitters: Anastasia Guerra, Elena Pietrini, Miriam Sylla, Lucia Bosetti;
- Middle Blockers: Cristina Chirichella, Sarah Fahr, Marina Lubian, Anna Danesi;
- Liberos: Monica De Gennaro, Beatrice Parrocchiale.
JAPAN
2. Sarina Koga, 3. (Captain) Nana Iwasaka, 4. Risa Shinnabe, 7. Yuki Ishii, 8. Mami Uchiseto, 9. Haruyo Shimamura, 10. Koyomi Tominaga, 13. Mai Okumura, 15. Kotoe Inoue, 20. Arisa Inoue, 21. Ai Kurogo, 22. Kanami Tashiro, 24. Aika Akutagawa, 27. Mana Toe. Coach: Kumi Nakada
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