Nov. 19 - China rallied from one set down to overcome hosts Japan 3-2 for their first victory at the 2006 men's volleyball World Championships on Saturday.

 

It took the Chinese team two hours three minutes to finish the marathon with 22-25, 25-22, 25-20, 23-25 and 15-13.

 

Supporting by more than 14,000 spectators, the Japanese team fought efficiently in the opening set for a 23-19 advantage but China managed to cut the deficit at 21-23.

 

But Yuan Zhi and Li Chun of China had two serving errors in a row to let Japan take the first set 25-22.

 

Falling back 5-11 in the second set, Japan's middle-blocker Saito Nobuharu had two consecutive blocks to lead a 5-0 run for Japan to make it 11-all. But the Chinese answered with a 6-3 run and never looked dangerous.

 

China rallied to a 4-1 run to level the match 1-1 after Tang Miao had an ace for China.

 

Boosted greatly by the second set win, China started strongly in the third set, racing up to a 5-2 lead. Leading at 20-19, China again launched an 5-1 run to clinch the set.

 

The two teams traded leads in the fourth set before it was tied at 12-12. China then achieved a 4-1 run to overtake the lead at 16-13.

 

However, China ran off three points in a row to tie the match at 22-22. But the host team sparkled afterward and ran to the win with a 6-1 run.

 

The fifth set was hotly contested before the two teams tied at 7-7 but China players held their nerve to wrap up the game and the match 15-13.

 

Tang Miao of China led the match with 19 points, out of 15 kills, two blocks and two aces. Shen Qiong also scored 19 points and Cui Jianjun added 18.

 

Nobuharu lead Japan with 13 points and Yamamoto Takahiro, Yamamura Kota and Koshikawa Yu all had 12 points respectively.