Nootsara back as Thais brace for tough opener with Serbia
Thailand welcome back setter Nootsara Tomkom as they take on Serbia to begin the second week of action of the FIVB Nations League in Macau today.
The match starts at 3.15pm Thai time and will be shown live on Channel 3HD (33).
China and Poland, the other two teams in Pool 7, meet at 7pm at the 4,000-seat Macau Forum.
Nootsara was left out of the squad for the first week’s event in Russia, where Thailand recorded one win over Argentina after losing first two games to the Netherlands and Russia.
“I followed the team during the first week and think that all the young players did well,” said Nootsara, who replaced Soraya Phomla in the 14-player squad for the Macau leg.
“But we will have to do better because players of all teams we play this week are tall and very strong.”
Nootsara was the only change in the Thai line-up, led by captain Pleumjit Thinkaow, Ajcharaporn Kongyot, Chatchu-on Moksri, who received the best serve award in the Russia leg, and Piyanut Pannoy, who was named the best libero during the first week.
World No.16 Thailand are 10th with three points in the 16-team standings. Serbia are fourth with seven points while China are fifth with six. Poland, at 13th, have two.
The Netherlands, with three wins in Yekaterinburg last week, are top with nine points, followed by Turkey, also with three wins, on eight points and the United States seven.
The 2018 FIVB Women’s Nations League, a new annual international tournament contested by 16 teams, has replaced the World Grand Prix.
The top five teams from the league rounds will join hosts China in the final round in Nanjing.