体坛英语新闻：Chinese women team reach semis at beach volleyball world championships

STARE JABLONKI, Poland, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese pair Xue Chen and Zhang Xi beat Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst 21-15, 21- 15 to reach the semifinals of the women' competition at the beach volleyball world championships here on Friday.

The Chinese team, who will next play Brazil's Liliane Maestrini and Barbara de Freitas on Saturday, completed the first set with a powerful play winning eight points while conceding only three.

In the second set when falling behind by 5-3, they won eight points in a row to race ahead and build a gap the German players never managed to close.

"My players changed attack area in the second set and the German team could not get used to it immediately," said Chinese coach Xue Gang. "That is the reason why they could win eight points consecutively."

Ludwig conceded the Chinese team was too powerful for them. "If they continue play like today, they could win the title," she said.