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GV EXTERIOR Metropolitan Gymnasium
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CU Russians wearing dark shirts serve ball and after rally Japan win point
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GV Japan serves and lose point
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GV Rally
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GV Japan serves, Russians win point
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GV Japan serves and after rally Japan wins point
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GV Japan receive service and after rally wins point
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GV General play
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EXTERIOR TOKYO METROPOLITAN GYMNASIUM: INTERIOR VARIOUS SHOTS OF TEAMS PLAYING (SOVIET UNION IN DARK SHIRTS).




Initials CL/2131 CL/2145


SPORT: VOLLEYBALL

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The Soviet Union's men's volleyball team scored a narrow five set win over Japan on Saturday (13 March). The match was the first of 12 games which the Soviet Union will play during a goodwill visit to Japan.

Playing before a capacity crowd at Tokyo's Metropolitan Gymnasium, the Soviet Union beat Japan's national team 10-15; 15-12; 6-15; 15-12; and 16-14.

After losing the first set, the Soviet team stormed back from 2-10 to win the second set 15-12. The visitors lost the third set 6-15 through several team errors, but steadied their game to win the fourth set 15-12.

The final set was very close with Japan breaking away to an early 10-4 lead, but the Soviet Union came back to level the score at 11-all. The score then went to deuce before the visitors finally won 16-14.

The 17 member Soviet team, managed by Yuri Chesokov, includes seven players from the army club, Cheska.

The first time the Soviet Union played against Japan was in 1960. Since then the two countries have met 64 times, with the Soviet Union winning 49 of the matches.

Several players in the 15-member Japanese team are expected to make the national squad for this year's Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada.

SYNOPSIS: Tokyo's Metropolitan Gymnasium, where the Japanese and Soviet Union men's volleyball teams met on Saturday for the first match in a twelve game series. The two sides first met in 1960 and since then they have played each other sixty-four times. The Soviet Union has won forty-nine of the clashes.

In Saturday's game, the Japanese won the first set 15-10, but the Soviet team stormed back from 2-10 down in the second set to finally win it 15-12.

The home team also won the third set 15-6 through several team errors by the Soviet Union.

Then the visitors steadied their game to take the fourth set 15-12.

The seventeen-member Soviet team managed by Yuri Chesokov, includes seven players from the army club. Cheska.

Japan broke away to an early lead of 10-4 in the fifth set, but the Soviet Union came back to level the score at eleven-all. The score then went to deuce before the Soviet team finally won sixteen-fourteen.

The win in the fifth set gave the match to the Soviet Union. The final score -- the Soviet Union won 10-15; 15-12; 6-15; 15-12; 16-14.