Rebisco-PSL Manila showed that there is no sleeping on the heart of the Filipino
Facing a Supreme Chonburi side that was planning to rest their players in the 2017 AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship quarterfinals, Rebisco-PSL Manila forced the Thailand Volleyball League champions to not only use their stars but also into a highly-competitive four sets that went down the wire.
The Filipina spikers eventually fell, but it took Supreme’s best to do them in, 20-25, 20-25, 25-18, 25-27, in Kazakhstan.
Jaja Santiago scored 22 points, while Jovelyn Gonzaga added 14 markers.
Facing Supreme’s bench and imports in the first two sets, Rebisco played sluggishly. They even let Supreme go on a 9-0 run to end the second set.
But the Filipinas shifted their gears in the third frame. Led by the indomitable Aby Maraño, together with Jaja Santiago and Jovelyn Gonzaga, Rebisco put on their best set performance of the tournament, allowing just two errors and getting six combined points from blocks and aces.
By the fourth set, Supreme had their best lineup on the floor, which includes National Team mainstays Kongyot Ajcharaporn, Wilavan Apinyapong, and Pleumjit Thinakow, but Rebisco were still up, 16-14, late.
“We played well today, but the referees call didn’t come our way,” Rebisco-PSL Manila head coach Francis Vicente said.
Marano finished with 13 including three blocks. Ces Molina scored five while Kim Fajardo and Mika Reyes added three.
It took time, but Supreme found their groove late in the fourth set, dodging several errors and using their quick transitions to put away Rebisco.
Now the Philippines can still finish fifth in the tournament if the team wins its last two matches.
