H Province TV Volleyball Frontline Program.
Wu Di: “Good afternoon, dear viewers. It is now May 25th, 2018, 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Welcome to watch Volleyball Frontline.”
Li Laiheng: “The Chinese Men’s National League China Station has officially started in Ningbo. The participating teams in this station are China, the United States, Bulgaria, and Argentina.”
Wu Di: “Now, let’s watch the live broadcast of the match between China and Bulgaria.”
The camera switched, and the Chinese men’s volleyball team was already in position.
Li Laiheng exclaimed, “Oh, Qin Chunxiao is playing as an opposite today and has been assigned to the first position.”
In the back row, the number 6 position was occupied by Li Ling, the number 5 position on the left side was taken by Fu Biyang, and the rightmost position in the front row, the number 2 position, was held by Qiao Mingming. In the middle of the front row, the number 3 position was occupied by Ding Rong, and the number 4 position on the left side was taken by Aizimaiti.
Li Laiheng speculated that the number 6 position was usually the position of the libero, and it made sense to put Li Ling there as he was good at defense. The number 2 position was typically the opposite position, and it seemed that Newton intended for Qiao Mingming, China’s first main attacker, to try playing opposite.
This lineup was not the one China usually used, and it showed signs of “experimentation” in many places. However, this also indicated that head coach Newton had great confidence in the players and believed that they could beat Bulgaria, so he dared to try something new in the VNL arena.
The referee signaled for China to serve, and Qin Chunxiao became the first server of the match.
In terms of serving power, Qin Chunxiao might not be the strongest, but he was definitely the most stable. With his skillful approach and jump, he used his left hand to serve. The Bulgarian libero quickly got into position to receive, but the ball flew out.
Wu Di commented, “Qin Chunxiao is left-handed, so his serving trajectory is slightly different from other players. Having him serve with a deceptive first serve is a good strategy.”
However, once the deceptive serve was cracked, its intimidation greatly decreased. When Bulgaria breaks China’s serving rotation, Qin Chunxiao would switch to the number 6 position as usual and focus on defense.
But breaking China’s serving rotation this year might not be that easy.
As Qin Chunxiao served for the second time, the Bulgarian libero successfully received the ball and sent it to the setter to organize a counterattack. However, this attack was thwarted by Aizimaiti!
At the moment when Bulgaria’s main attacker launched the attack, Aizimaiti was already in position, raising his hands high and successfully blocking the ball.
In that instant, the high-nosed and deep-eyed Uighur youth looked down at the opponent’s attacker with an indescribable cold arrogance.
In his heart, Aizimaiti cheered, “Oh yeah! I blocked it!”
It was said that a player’s three consecutive serves might not always be due to the power of their serve but could also be attributed to the strong support of their teammates. Qin Chunxiao, with a powerful serve and supportive teammates, successfully got his third serving opportunity.
He patted the volleyball, seeking good luck in his heart, and once again delivered a steady jump serve.
The Bulgarian players, being national-level athletes, were starting to adapt to his serve. However, when organizing the defensive counterattack, both the setter and the attackers tightened their nerves. This was because Aizimaiti had already shown them that China’s blocking was formidable!
Aizimaiti kept a close eye on the movements of the Bulgarian setter and quickly made a judgment. The guy was going to set the ball to the second opposite attacker who was charging in from the back row for a back-row attack. Aizimaiti immediately moved to block.
However, the Bulgarian opposite attacker was quite skillful and unexpectedly changed the trajectory of the ball, grazing it past the edge of Aizimaiti’s left hand!
The Bulgarian fans supporting the team cheered one after another. Yes, the ball went through!
Aizimaiti’s lips curved slightly, leaving the Bulgarian opposite attacker, who was facing him across the net, puzzled. In the next instant, the Bulgarian opposite attacker saw the Chinese serving player who was relatively short execute a textbook fish dive behind Aizimaiti and successfully received his attack.
As it turned out, Aizimaiti’s purposed in blocking was to guide their attack, making it easier for Qin Chunxiao to receive.
As Qin Chunxiao received the ball, Ding Rong lightly jumped, setting the ball in a short arc, and Qiao Mingming immediately spiked it over.
Wu Di: “Beautiful! China has shown great momentum from the beginning, and the current score is 3:0!”
Last year, China’s performance in the league was not good, so their strong start in this match has revitalized the spirits of the fans.
By the fourth point, Bulgaria finally broke through China’s defense but the Chinese team reacted quickly. Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling stabilized the defense, while Ding Rong as the core of the offense, led other attackers to compete for higher efficiency in scoring against Bulgaria.
From the first set’s score, China had the advantage in offense and they won the first set with a score of 25:21.
Newton clapped with satisfaction and exchanged words with Jiang Xiaohai: “They have matured a lot since the Asian Championship.”
Jiang Xiaohai thought to himself, “Of course, under your guidance, those who went to Italy and Russia got meticulous coaching from top-level coaches at elite clubs. These players’ physical condition naturally improved at this age, and with some technical refinement, they became exceptional players.”
William, sitting in the audience, rubbed his arms: “They seem to have real strength.”
The American setter Tom looked serious: “I played against the Chinese team in the league last year, and the players were completely different from the ones today. It seems their national team has gone through a major overhaul.”
Caddy explained, “Their previous coach was found involved in match-fixing. The current coach is Newton, who led the team to win the gold medal at the Men’s Junior World Championship last year. The current Chinese men’s team mainly consists of players from that junior squad coached by Newton. But their strength is worth being cautious about.”
William, eager to try, rubbed his hands together: “Definitely! I looked them up on Wikipedia, and these players won the gold medal in the Asian Championship as soon as they played in the senior tournament!”
In the second set, Qin Chunxiao, Li Ling, and Ding Rong were substituted out, and You Ziyu, Xiong Wu, and Mao Xunfeng replaced them. China continued to launch a fierce attack, and both Qiao Mingming and Fu Biyang who had just returned from their overseas clubs, showed strong attacking skills each of their shots decisive and forceful carrying their own killing intent.
In the past, Asian teams were perceived as quick and agile, while tall and robust players from Europe and the Americas represented a more violent style. But today, the Chinese men’s team demonstrated a level of power comparable to the European and American teams.
Sitting on the bench, Qin Chunxiao took a sip of water and heard someone calling him.
“Misha Qin, hey! Look here!”
Qin Chunxiao turned back, not understanding, and saw William from the American team waving vigorously. Meanwhile, his teammates were frantically covering his mouth.
Caddy grimaced, thinking that shouting loudly at a player during the match was a major taboo in watching sports. It violated the etiquette of watching, and he didn’t want to be implicated by William and eventually be kicked out by the staff.
However, Qin Chunxiao didn’t get angry, he just made a gesture to be quiet and turned back to talk to his teammates. Caddy was impressed by the good temperament of this young Chinese player.
In the second set, China won 25:23! At this point, everyone could see China’s significant advantage. Nevertheless, Newton continued to make substitutions. In the third set, he brought in Min Yaoyang and Gao Depi, replacing Qiao Mingming and Aizimaiti.
The substitutions seemed random and unpredictable. While commentators and analysts on various sports channels were trying to figure out the intentions of China’s head coach Newton.
Qin Chunxiao, Jiang Xiaohai, and Chang Xiaole all felt that the old man simply wanted to showcase the strong players on his roster and see how well they had progressed recently.
During this training camp, the national team had numerous internal scrimmages, building up their chemistry. No matter how Newton decided to arrange them, they wouldn’t disappoint on the court.
After experiencing the challenges of the Japanese league, Min Yaoyang, a well-known Chinese player, had clearly improved his skills. His attacks showed greater variety, and he began to incorporate some changes. Additionally, Gao Depi’s defense, blocking, and attacks had all significantly improved, and he and Min Yaoyang formed several effective offensive plays.
For a coach, a player’s value was not just in their attack and defense skills but also in their all-around technique and team organizing ability. Gao Depi was now steadily progressing towards becoming a connecting opposite hitter and was showing good results.
However, without Qiao Mingming, the main attacker who could forcefully attack against the opponent’s defense during crucial moments, China’s efficiency in finishing rallies was affected. Moreover, Bulgaria was not an easy opponent. After an intense battle, Bulgaria managed to snatch the third set.
Newton knew that the experimentation came to an end.
In the fourth set, Newton called out, “Qin Chunxiao, Qiao Mingming, you two switch with Min Yaoyang and Xiong Wu.”
After the substitutions, the lineup on the court became Qin Chunxiao, Qiao Mingming, You Ziyu, Fu Biyang, Mao Xunfeng, and Gao Depi.
The familiar fans of the Chinese men’s volleyball team were thrilled. This lineup was equipped with both strong offense and defense, precise and steady setting, and a super server in the form of You Ziyu. All the players were recognized as “smart players” who played with a clear mind during the game, resulting in a low probability of making mistakes. Moreover, they were particularly skilled at using tactics to outwit their opponents.
Seeing these six players took their positions on the court, the fans’ confidence soared. They were sure that this match would be a victory.
Indeed, the players themselves shared the same belief.
Fu Biyang twisted his arm and said, “We still have to play against Argentina tomorrow. Let’s finish this match quickly and save some energy.”
But Qiao Mingming reminded him, “Stay focused. Bulgaria is strong, and if we become careless, they might turn the tables on us.”
With his hands around his mouth, Qin Chunxiao shouted to You Ziyu at position 1, “Squid, serve well!”
You Ziyu, holding the volleyball, walked towards the serving area, teasingly replied, “You don’t trust my serves?”
As You Ziyu prepared to serve, Qin Chunxiao and Fu Biyang stood ready in defense. Fu Biyang expertly blocked all the balls he could and adjusted the opponent’s position when he couldn’t block, allowing Qin Chunxiao to anticipate Bulgaria’s attacks better and be in the right place to receive the ball.
Watching them play, the commentator, Wu Di, grew more excited, “Ladies and gentlemen, we can see that Qin Chunxiao is squeezing the attacking space for his opponents to the limit. As the first Chinese player to win the Best Libero honor in the Russian Super League, Qin Chunxiao has successfully built an impregnable defense for his teammates on the court!”
Li Laiheng added, “Qiao Mingming is doing well too. According to the statistics, he has already scored 26 points in this match, and considering his playing time, his scoring efficiency is remarkable.”
The audience, mostly Chinese fans cheered rhythmically with each successful point scored by the team.
“China Team!”
“Go!”
“China Team!”
“Go!”
Bulgaria’s attackers launched another strong offense, and Qin Chunxiao dived to receive the ball, feeling his wrist ache from the impact. Despite being at a disadvantage, all the spectators were cheering for the Chinese team. These Bulgarian players hadn’t given up the fight, and the Chinese team respected them for it.
Finally, on May 25, at 5:20 PM, after one hour and twenty minutes of intense competition, China won the match 3:1. Although it was just one match out of three in this tournament and Bulgaria was not a world-famous strong team, when the referee announced China’s victory, the audience stood up, waving their red flags and cheering. The sound of their jubilation almost lifted the roof.
After defending the floor for so long, Qin Chunxiao got up from the ground, his sweat soaking the headband, but his face carried a proud smile. His teammates gathered around, some patting his shoulders, some touching heads with him. They were all out of breath and spoke in fragments, using this animal-like way to express their joy and happiness.
Meanwhile, the U.S. team, who came to watch the game, stood amidst the noisy arena. Caddy pulled William’s sleeve and said, “Let’s go.”
William stumbled a bit but finally came back to his senses. He turned around, pointing at the court, his eyes shining. “Caddy, look how fun volleyball is, and those players are so interesting.”
Caddy laughed and replied, “Let me remind you that you are also one of those interesting players. And remember, we’ll be playing against the Chinese team the day after tomorrow. Let’s go.”
H Province TV Volleyball Frontline Program.
Wu Di: “Good afternoon, dear viewers. It is now May 25th, 2018, 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Welcome to watch Volleyball Frontline.”
Li Laiheng: “The Chinese Men’s National League China Station has officially started in Ningbo. The participating teams in this station are China, the United States, Bulgaria, and Argentina.”
Wu Di: “Now, let’s watch the live broadcast of the match between China and Bulgaria.”
The camera switched, and the Chinese men’s volleyball team was already in position.
Li Laiheng exclaimed, “Oh, Qin Chunxiao is playing as an opposite today and has been assigned to the first position.”
In the back row, the number 6 position was occupied by Li Ling, the number 5 position on the left side was taken by Fu Biyang, and the rightmost position in the front row, the number 2 position, was held by Qiao Mingming. In the middle of the front row, the number 3 position was occupied by Ding Rong, and the number 4 position on the left side was taken by Aizimaiti.
Li Laiheng speculated that the number 6 position was usually the position of the libero, and it made sense to put Li Ling there as he was good at defense. The number 2 position was typically the opposite position, and it seemed that Newton intended for Qiao Mingming, China’s first main attacker, to try playing opposite.
This lineup was not the one China usually used, and it showed signs of “experimentation” in many places. However, this also indicated that head coach Newton had great confidence in the players and believed that they could beat Bulgaria, so he dared to try something new in the VNL arena.
The referee signaled for China to serve, and Qin Chunxiao became the first server of the match.
In terms of serving power, Qin Chunxiao might not be the strongest, but he was definitely the most stable. With his skillful approach and jump, he used his left hand to serve. The Bulgarian libero quickly got into position to receive, but the ball flew out.
Wu Di commented, “Qin Chunxiao is left-handed, so his serving trajectory is slightly different from other players. Having him serve with a deceptive first serve is a good strategy.”
However, once the deceptive serve was cracked, its intimidation greatly decreased. When Bulgaria breaks China’s serving rotation, Qin Chunxiao would switch to the number 6 position as usual and focus on defense.
But breaking China’s serving rotation this year might not be that easy.
As Qin Chunxiao served for the second time, the Bulgarian libero successfully received the ball and sent it to the setter to organize a counterattack. However, this attack was thwarted by Aizimaiti!
At the moment when Bulgaria’s main attacker launched the attack, Aizimaiti was already in position, raising his hands high and successfully blocking the ball.
In that instant, the high-nosed and deep-eyed Uighur youth looked down at the opponent’s attacker with an indescribable cold arrogance.
In his heart, Aizimaiti cheered, “Oh yeah! I blocked it!”
It was said that a player’s three consecutive serves might not always be due to the power of their serve but could also be attributed to the strong support of their teammates. Qin Chunxiao, with a powerful serve and supportive teammates, successfully got his third serving opportunity.
He patted the volleyball, seeking good luck in his heart, and once again delivered a steady jump serve.
The Bulgarian players, being national-level athletes, were starting to adapt to his serve. However, when organizing the defensive counterattack, both the setter and the attackers tightened their nerves. This was because Aizimaiti had already shown them that China’s blocking was formidable!
Aizimaiti kept a close eye on the movements of the Bulgarian setter and quickly made a judgment. The guy was going to set the ball to the second opposite attacker who was charging in from the back row for a back-row attack. Aizimaiti immediately moved to block.
However, the Bulgarian opposite attacker was quite skillful and unexpectedly changed the trajectory of the ball, grazing it past the edge of Aizimaiti’s left hand!
The Bulgarian fans supporting the team cheered one after another. Yes, the ball went through!
Aizimaiti’s lips curved slightly, leaving the Bulgarian opposite attacker, who was facing him across the net, puzzled. In the next instant, the Bulgarian opposite attacker saw the Chinese serving player who was relatively short execute a textbook fish dive behind Aizimaiti and successfully received his attack.
As it turned out, Aizimaiti’s purposed in blocking was to guide their attack, making it easier for Qin Chunxiao to receive.
As Qin Chunxiao received the ball, Ding Rong lightly jumped, setting the ball in a short arc, and Qiao Mingming immediately spiked it over.
Wu Di: “Beautiful! China has shown great momentum from the beginning, and the current score is 3:0!”
Last year, China’s performance in the league was not good, so their strong start in this match has revitalized the spirits of the fans.
By the fourth point, Bulgaria finally broke through China’s defense but the Chinese team reacted quickly. Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling stabilized the defense, while Ding Rong as the core of the offense, led other attackers to compete for higher efficiency in scoring against Bulgaria.
From the first set’s score, China had the advantage in offense and they won the first set with a score of 25:21.
Newton clapped with satisfaction and exchanged words with Jiang Xiaohai: “They have matured a lot since the Asian Championship.”
Jiang Xiaohai thought to himself, “Of course, under your guidance, those who went to Italy and Russia got meticulous coaching from top-level coaches at elite clubs. These players’ physical condition naturally improved at this age, and with some technical refinement, they became exceptional players.”
William, sitting in the audience, rubbed his arms: “They seem to have real strength.”
The American setter Tom looked serious: “I played against the Chinese team in the league last year, and the players were completely different from the ones today. It seems their national team has gone through a major overhaul.”
Caddy explained, “Their previous coach was found involved in match-fixing. The current coach is Newton, who led the team to win the gold medal at the Men’s Junior World Championship last year. The current Chinese men’s team mainly consists of players from that junior squad coached by Newton. But their strength is worth being cautious about.”
William, eager to try, rubbed his hands together: “Definitely! I looked them up on Wikipedia, and these players won the gold medal in the Asian Championship as soon as they played in the senior tournament!”
In the second set, Qin Chunxiao, Li Ling, and Ding Rong were substituted out, and You Ziyu, Xiong Wu, and Mao Xunfeng replaced them. China continued to launch a fierce attack, and both Qiao Mingming and Fu Biyang who had just returned from their overseas clubs, showed strong attacking skills each of their shots decisive and forceful carrying their own killing intent.
In the past, Asian teams were perceived as quick and agile, while tall and robust players from Europe and the Americas represented a more violent style. But today, the Chinese men’s team demonstrated a level of power comparable to the European and American teams.
Sitting on the bench, Qin Chunxiao took a sip of water and heard someone calling him.
“Misha Qin, hey! Look here!”
Qin Chunxiao turned back, not understanding, and saw William from the American team waving vigorously. Meanwhile, his teammates were frantically covering his mouth.
Caddy grimaced, thinking that shouting loudly at a player during the match was a major taboo in watching sports. It violated the etiquette of watching, and he didn’t want to be implicated by William and eventually be kicked out by the staff.
However, Qin Chunxiao didn’t get angry, he just made a gesture to be quiet and turned back to talk to his teammates. Caddy was impressed by the good temperament of this young Chinese player.
In the second set, China won 25:23! At this point, everyone could see China’s significant advantage. Nevertheless, Newton continued to make substitutions. In the third set, he brought in Min Yaoyang and Gao Depi, replacing Qiao Mingming and Aizimaiti.
The substitutions seemed random and unpredictable. While commentators and analysts on various sports channels were trying to figure out the intentions of China’s head coach Newton.
Qin Chunxiao, Jiang Xiaohai, and Chang Xiaole all felt that the old man simply wanted to showcase the strong players on his roster and see how well they had progressed recently.
During this training camp, the national team had numerous internal scrimmages, building up their chemistry. No matter how Newton decided to arrange them, they wouldn’t disappoint on the court.
After experiencing the challenges of the Japanese league, Min Yaoyang, a well-known Chinese player, had clearly improved his skills. His attacks showed greater variety, and he began to incorporate some changes. Additionally, Gao Depi’s defense, blocking, and attacks had all significantly improved, and he and Min Yaoyang formed several effective offensive plays.
For a coach, a player’s value was not just in their attack and defense skills but also in their all-around technique and team organizing ability. Gao Depi was now steadily progressing towards becoming a connecting opposite hitter and was showing good results.
However, without Qiao Mingming, the main attacker who could forcefully attack against the opponent’s defense during crucial moments, China’s efficiency in finishing rallies was affected. Moreover, Bulgaria was not an easy opponent. After an intense battle, Bulgaria managed to snatch the third set.
Newton knew that the experimentation came to an end.
In the fourth set, Newton called out, “Qin Chunxiao, Qiao Mingming, you two switch with Min Yaoyang and Xiong Wu.”
After the substitutions, the lineup on the court became Qin Chunxiao, Qiao Mingming, You Ziyu, Fu Biyang, Mao Xunfeng, and Gao Depi.
The familiar fans of the Chinese men’s volleyball team were thrilled. This lineup was equipped with both strong offense and defense, precise and steady setting, and a super server in the form of You Ziyu. All the players were recognized as “smart players” who played with a clear mind during the game, resulting in a low probability of making mistakes. Moreover, they were particularly skilled at using tactics to outwit their opponents.
Seeing these six players took their positions on the court, the fans’ confidence soared. They were sure that this match would be a victory.
Indeed, the players themselves shared the same belief.
Fu Biyang twisted his arm and said, “We still have to play against Argentina tomorrow. Let’s finish this match quickly and save some energy.”
But Qiao Mingming reminded him, “Stay focused. Bulgaria is strong, and if we become careless, they might turn the tables on us.”
With his hands around his mouth, Qin Chunxiao shouted to You Ziyu at position 1, “Squid, serve well!”
You Ziyu, holding the volleyball, walked towards the serving area, teasingly replied, “You don’t trust my serves?”
As You Ziyu prepared to serve, Qin Chunxiao and Fu Biyang stood ready in defense. Fu Biyang expertly blocked all the balls he could and adjusted the opponent’s position when he couldn’t block, allowing Qin Chunxiao to anticipate Bulgaria’s attacks better and be in the right place to receive the ball.
Watching them play, the commentator, Wu Di, grew more excited, “Ladies and gentlemen, we can see that Qin Chunxiao is squeezing the attacking space for his opponents to the limit. As the first Chinese player to win the Best Libero honor in the Russian Super League, Qin Chunxiao has successfully built an impregnable defense for his teammates on the court!”
Li Laiheng added, “Qiao Mingming is doing well too. According to the statistics, he has already scored 26 points in this match, and considering his playing time, his scoring efficiency is remarkable.”
The audience, mostly Chinese fans cheered rhythmically with each successful point scored by the team.
“China Team!”
“Go!”
“China Team!”
“Go!”
Bulgaria’s attackers launched another strong offense, and Qin Chunxiao dived to receive the ball, feeling his wrist ache from the impact. Despite being at a disadvantage, all the spectators were cheering for the Chinese team. These Bulgarian players hadn’t given up the fight, and the Chinese team respected them for it.
Finally, on May 25, at 5:20 PM, after one hour and twenty minutes of intense competition, China won the match 3:1. Although it was just one match out of three in this tournament and Bulgaria was not a world-famous strong team, when the referee announced China’s victory, the audience stood up, waving their red flags and cheering. The sound of their jubilation almost lifted the roof.
After defending the floor for so long, Qin Chunxiao got up from the ground, his sweat soaking the headband, but his face carried a proud smile. His teammates gathered around, some patting his shoulders, some touching heads with him. They were all out of breath and spoke in fragments, using this animal-like way to express their joy and happiness.
Meanwhile, the U.S. team, who came to watch the game, stood amidst the noisy arena. Caddy pulled William’s sleeve and said, “Let’s go.”
William stumbled a bit but finally came back to his senses. He turned around, pointing at the court, his eyes shining. “Caddy, look how fun volleyball is, and those players are so interesting.”
Caddy laughed and replied, “Let me remind you that you are also one of those interesting players. And remember, we’ll be playing against the Chinese team the day after tomorrow. Let’s go.”
