8/15/08: Women's Volleyball is a Smash

(Photo: Italy plows through Serbian defence on Friday, Aug.15th.)

Today we head over to the Capital Indoor Stadium to see women’s volleyball. Originally built in 1968 and updated in 2007, it’s an older facility on the west side, near the Capital Zoo, and again, the crowd is mostly Chinese. The facility is clean but one can see its age in the poor sound system and the squat toilets in the women’s restroom. In fact, many of the bathroom stalls seem permanently locked; are the catches just in the wrong position, or are people hiding in there? As the afternoon wears on, the floors become wet and one doesn’t see the constant housekeepers one sees at the new basketball arena.

Once again we are in the nosebleed section. I must remember to bring binoculars next time! Many people have difficulty understanding the seating indicated on tickets. I direct quite a few to two male volunteers across the aisle from me before I realize they are security people rather than volunteers. Perhaps I shown have known, as they seemed more interested in sitting and watching the teams on the floor than helping people!

The first game is between Poland and Venezuela. Venezuela has panache and verve, but Poland has a mostly impenetrable block and searing spikes. The red and white Polish fans wave flags and regularly erupt into “Polska” cheers. Poland decimates Venezuela 25-12 in the first game. Venezuela comes back and seems to be on the verge of taking over early in Game 2, and the crowd roars with approval each time a Venezuelan spike or block succeeds, but Poland slams back another and another spike and quickly outpaces Venezuela again. The Olympic mascots exhort us to do the Mexican Wave during a time out, but the crowd is slow to act and it’s a very limp wave. Poland again wins, 25-12. Things are getting a bit boring; one security guy is dozing while the other looks at a mini-TV. (Thought they weren’t allowed into the venues??) The Chinese fans have a soft spot for underdogs and cheer more and more for the Venezuelans as they make a grand effort and climb to 20 against Poland’s match point in the third game. Ultimately, Poland succeeds 25-20. The match is over in a quick 1 hour 10 minutes. (The average match is 1 hour 30 minutes, or 30 minutes per game.)

While waiting for the next match, I chat with Mao Fei Fei, rising senior at the Communication University of China in Beijing and a volunteer assigned to Photo Corps at this venue. He likes his job; he says some spots are more difficult than others, for example, the outdoor security line volunteers are exposed to heat or rain, or some floor volunteers must sit immobilized until they must act because they are close to the action (and cameras). The volunteers shift around, but mostly outside stay outside and inside stay inside. They work in twoshifts per day, arriving three hours ahead of the event.

The second match is between Italy and Serbia. Both teams look good on the floor, but the stats on the large screen show Italy is a bit older and more experienced with 29- and 30-year-olds. I vote to cheer for age and experience!! Italy immediately starts out with a BANG! spike and great drop but Serbia is not easily intimidated. Italy leads 14-10, then at set point 24-22 Serbia keeps delaying the inevitable, but finally Italy wins 25-23. In Game 2 I wonder if Serbia won’t get its groove, but Italy finds a weakness and serves three in a row to the same Serbian player and rolls to 10-3, and Serbia needs to call time out. Italy wins, 25-20. Game 3 is neck and neck and Italy wins again, 25-23. We head home exhausted from cheering.