Korea ends FIVB tournament with a third straight loss

Korea has closed out a men’s Olympic volleyball qualifying tournament with its third straight loss.

Korea fell to Belgium in straight sets at the FIVB Men’s Volleyball Intercontinental Olympic Qualification Tournament at Rotterdam Ahoy in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on Sunday.

Belgium held off Korea to take the first set 27-25, before taking the next two sets 25-21 and 26-24.

Heo Su-bong led Korea with 20 points, the only player on the team to reach double figures in scoring.

Korea had earlier lost to the Netherlands and the United States in Pool B action.

There were six groups of four in this tournament held across six different locations, and only the group winners earned direct qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Korea and other non-group winners will have to go through their regional qualifiers next year.

The Asian qualifying event will take place in January 2020. Korea hasn’t played in the Olympics since 2000 in Sydney.

Korea’s fate had already been sealed after its 3-0 loss to the United States on Saturday.

Yonhap