Team GB women’s volleyball team ended their Olympic campaign with a 
spirited performance against Japan as they lost 3-0 in their final group game at Earl’s Court.
Team GB have lost four games and won one as they beat Algeria a week ago in a campaign which saw them win new fans for their tenacity and heart. The set scores were 19-25, 14-25, 12-25 as Team GB made an encouraging start to the third set in particular, matching the Japanese for scores through to the middle of the set. The hosts lost Janine Sandell to an injury in the second set with the score at 5-8 to Japan. Janine left the court holding her right leg having been one of Team GB’s best performers.
FIVB President Jizhong Wei said: “I’d like to congratulate and thank the Great Britain team and players. They are a very young team, which has improved every day. If we speak of the legacy of the Games, this GB team will inspire a generation.”
Team GB captain Lynn Beattie said: “We competed with them (Japan) at times but it just wasn’t enough. But we take lots of positives from that match. “The main thing we can take is competing against the best teams in the world. That’s an experience in itself. We’ve shown at times that we can compete with them and the next step is taking sets and wins against these teams. “To play in this environment, a home Games in front of 15,000 people has been an unbelievable experience and one that will stay with us for a very long time. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
“But we’re thoroughly disappointed that we didn’t achieve a top eight goal. Yet the positives that we can take from this tournament are immense. We go away from it feeling pretty confident in our ability and that we can stick it with the best teams in the world.”
