Three-time Asian Games champion China defeated Thailand 3-1 on November 22 at the 16th Asian Games women's volleyball preliminaries with its fourth straight victory.

With the 25-23, 25-21, 24-26, 25-19 win on home soil, the Chinese women secured a berth for the quarterfinals. Thailand also entered the play-off with a 3-1 win-loss record.

China will face Chinese Taipei in the top-eight play-off, while South Korea, Japan, DPR Korea, Kazakhstan and Mongolia also made top eight on November 22.

China was in offensive mode and carved out a three-point lead to the second time out 16-13. Trailing at 24-20, Thailand got four points back to 24-23 with spikes from Onuma Sittirak and Malika Kanthong, until China pulled back and Li Juan sent a kill to 25-23.

A string of unforced errors and Wang's powerful serving gave China a commanding position. Wei Qiuyue scored an ace for China to close the set 25-21 despite Thailand's resistance.

Thailand came back determined to control the third set. While China tried to score on crucial points to tie 24-24. Thailand score two points in a row to win one set back at 26-24.

China recovered in the fourth set, beating a 7-10 deficit to control the game at 16-14. With Wang's powerful kills from left side of the net, China's momentum stayed strong and finished the set 25-19.

Thailand is ranked third in the group entering the quarterfinals, and will meet DPR Korea on November 24.

Earlier on Monday, Kazakhstan beat Japan 25-15, 22-25, 25-23, 25-21 and had a 5-0 win-loss record in the preliminaries. They will play Mongolia in the quarterfinals on November 24.

Captain Inna Matveyeva and Olga Dobryshevskaya each scored 15 points for Kazakhstan, while Natalya Zhukova and Sana Jarlagassova added 13 respectively.

Nomoto Rika contributed 20 points for Japan to lead the game, but could not stop Kazakhstan's high-flying attacks during the one hour 42 minutes game.

Japan had a 3-2 record in the preliminaries and ranked third in the Group B, they will play the third qualifier from Group A.

In another group A match on November 22, South Korea whitewashed Mongolia 25-7, 25-12, 25-14 in a group A match, while Chinese Taipei trounced India 25-12, 25-12 and 25-12 to finished second of the Group B.

(Xinhua News Agency November 22, 2010)