Photo: Xinhua

China's U21 women's volleyball team, currently ranked No.1 in the world, kicked off their FIVB Women's U21 World Championship campaign in Surabaya, Indonesia, with a 3-1 comeback victory over Croatia in their Pool B opener on Thursday.

Despite facing an opponent ranked 31st in the world, China endured a rocky start, trailing 1-4 in the opening set, prompting head coach Xie Jiyang to call an early timeout. 

Tactical adjustments and impactful performances from middle blocker Dan Linqian and substitute setter Zhu Hangting in the second and fourth sets helped China find its rhythm and complete the turnaround.

The Chinese team enters this tournament as defending champions, having clinched the title two years ago in Mexico. Several key players from that victorious squad, including Zhuo Yushan, have since graduated to the senior national team.

Vice captain and middle blocker Wang Aoqian, who recently joined the U21 squad after competing with the senior team at the Volleyball Nations League, is still adjusting to the new lineup. She recorded three points in the match, with two successful attacks from seven attempts. In contrast, outside hitter Zhao Zhexi, fresh off her MVP-winning performance at the Shanghai Volleyball Future Star Championship, led the team with a match-high 22 points.

"This U21 squad is quite different from the one two years ago. Several players have already moved up to the senior team," Beijing-based sports commentator Wang Dazhao told the Global Times on Thursday. "From this match, we can see issues in blocking and at the opposite position. The defensive side still needs work. Credit to Croatia - they played smart in the first set and caught China off guard. Luckily, the team stabilized, especially after Zhu came on and scored five crucial points, shifting the momentum."

It is worth noting that several sports commentators have mentioned the absence of the Hawk-Eye review system, which led to several disputed calls. 

"At least three questionable decisions occurred in the first set, and the most significant was an over-the-net violation in the fourth set," Wang said. "However, the players stayed composed and were not derailed by the officiating, managing to close out the match with poise."

Head coach Xie Jiyang had previously emphasized that the team would use recent tournaments, such as the just completed Shanghai Volleyball Future Star Championship, to identify weaknesses and make targeted improvements in training. 

"Each position has its promising talents, especially among the outside hitters and setters," he said. "We'll continue to focus on fundamental skills and aim to develop more mature players for the senior national team."

The U21 World Championship features 24 teams competing for the title. China's remaining group stage fixtures include matches against South Korea and the Dominican Republic in the coming two days, followed by games against Mexico on August 11 and the US on August 12. The top four teams from each group will advance to the round of 16.