NINGBO, Zhejiang: Lang Ping's US volleyball team found beating hosts China a bridge too far in the first meeting of the two teams at the Ningbo Grand Prix women's volleyball tournament.

The American team lost in straight sets 25-22, 25-15, 25-15 and placed third in the tournament while China, which won all three games, took the title.

"There are too many strong players in the Chinese team. We can defend one (spike) but could not defend another one. Our young players could not get used to their versatile tactics.

"Players did a job better than I expected."

Lang even thanked China's coach Chen for sending out younger players in the second and third sets so her young team could get to know the Chinese team, arguably one of the world's best, better.

"I think I should thank coach Chen," Lang said. "Some of our players have never come up against plays like those China was producing. We have a lot to learn from them."

Lang knows all about the work ahead of her to make the American team one which could challenge China.

"I enjoyed the time when I was coaching the Chinese team because it is one of the world's top teams.

"But the US side have not reached that level yet and I have to develop them step by step," added Lang, a key member of the Chinese team that won World Cup titles in 1981 and 1982, the Olympic gold in 1984 and the World Championships in 1985.

For Chen, who led China's women to consecutive victories at the 2003 World Cup in Japan and the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and second in command to Lang when the latter led the Chinese national team, facing Lang was a new and interesting experience.

"When I saw coach Lang sitting on the bench, I also let myself sit throughout the match," said Chen, who stood in all previous matches.

Interestingly dubbed the "War of Peace" (The Chinese characters of "He" referring to Chinese head coach Chen Zhonghe and "Ping" referring to Lang Ping, combine to mean "peace") by domestic media, the lop-sided fight disappointed the large crowd.

"It is depressing. I did not feel any excitement during the match. Whether it is a team coached by Lang Ping or not, I hope to see a tight and fierce match," said Jiang Zhenhou, a teacher from Ningbo Technology College.

The high-flying expectations for the match from fans dying to watch a mouth-watering showdown, began ebbing after the USA was crushed 3-0 by the Netherlands in the opening match.

"I thought I would go to see the match before the tournament. But after I found there was a big gap between the two teams on the first day on TV, I had no interest anymore," said Zhu Hui, a student from Ningbo University.

(China Daily 06/27/2005 page6)