The Perton Blaze Spikers got valuable experience after dropping their second game of the AVC Women’s Club Championships to the reigning Champs Hishamitsu Seiyako Springs of Japan, 5-25, 16-25, 13-25 at the Ha Nam Gym in Vietnam.
Topping the cutthroat Japanese volleyball circuit for more than a decade now, Hishamitsu Springs presented Petron with high-level volleyball that the Blaze Spikers just weren’t ready to match. The Japanese even managed to rotate in all of their players, showing their team is laden with talent from top to bottom.
Hishamitsu lorded their domination over Petron across all categories, out-spiking (45-20), out-blocking (10-4 block kills), and out-serving (7-1 aces) the defending PSL champs. The Japanese side clearly accounted for all of Petron’s best options and prepared accordingly. Mokan Tatjan and Mizuya Yumi, both of whom came off the bench in Japan’s first two matches, led their team with 16 and 11 points respectively as their team’s usual starters played less than two sets.
Former PSL MVP, Dindin Santiago-Manabat led the Blazers in scoring for the third straight match with seven markers. San Beda standout, Ces Molina and Brazilian import, Inck Rupia each managed four markers.
Petron head coach, George Pascua said before leaving for the tournament that the high-level competition in Vietnam should help his team in its title-defense campaign in the PSL Grand Prix this October. Pascua and his team certainly got a dose of top-tier volleyball yesterday.
There is no rest for the weary as the Pinays will face the top team in Pool A, Chinese Club Zhejiang later today at 6 p.m.
The Scores:
Hishamitsu (3) – Bokan 16, Mizuta 11, Ishii 8, Nomoto 7, Ishibashi 5, Nagaoka 5, Shinnabe 3, Koto 1, Iwasaka 1, Zayasu (L), Toe (L)
Petron (0) – Mababat 7, Molina 4, Rupia 4, Maraño 3, Daquis 3, Adachi 2, Morada 2, Cayetano 0, Zapanta 0, Reyes (L)
*Photo taken from AVC – Asian Volleyball Confederation facebook
