JINJIANG, China, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Suzuka Hashimoto/Sayaka Mizoe claimed their second FIVB World Tour beach volleyball gold medal with a 2-1 (21-13, 19-21, 15-5) win over Chinese Taipei's Kou Nai Han/Liu Pi Hsin at the women's final in Southeast China's coastal Jinjiang on Sunday.
Mizoe/Hashimoto played tactically against Kou/Liu to gain edge in the opening set. The Japanese duo displayed quickness and put up tremendous effort on their defense to dominate their rivals 21-13.
The Chinese Taipei pair regrouped in the second set, adjusting their strategy, with Liu stepping up on offence with some brilliants attacks, while Kou defended solidly to keep the long rallies. They forced the tie-breaker at 21-19 with Kou's well-placed attack to the back.
The Japanese pair pounded on the Chinese Taipei duo in the third set led by Hashimoto to mount a dominating lead. Hashimoto clinched championship point with a put away attack to the corner 15-5.
Hashimoto now has two gold medals and one silver under her belt, while her teammate Mizoe has two golds and two silvers.
Japan's Reika Murakami/Chiyo Suzuki defeated Aurora Davis/Bree Scarbrough from the United States 2-0 (21-12, 22-20) to secure the bronze medal.
Scarbrough/Davis had trouble returning the short serves from Suzuki/Murakami, allowing the Japanese ladies to take an early lead in the first set. The Japanese established a great counter-attack scheme and kept a defensively sound game, even converting their digs into points to win 21-12.
The Americans recovered and led at the start of the second set, as Davis played excellent defense on the Japanese attack. Suzuki/Murakami worked their way up and snatched the lead 18-16, but Scarbrough/Davis refused to give up and challenged them down the final stretch. The Japanese finally succeeded in the extended set 22-20.
