Kobe Shinwa University needed two sets to shake off their nerves, but once they found their rhythm, there was no stopping them.
Nagisa Komatsuda exploded for 31 points as the Japanese guest team pulled off a stunning reverse sweep of Chery Tiggo, 21-25, 17-25, 26-24, 25-22, 15-6, to punch a ticket to the Finals of the 2025 PVL Invitational on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With the win, Kobe Shinwa advanced to the gold medal match against undefeated PLDT, set for Sunday at 6:30 PM at the Big Dome. The High Speed Hitters previously beat the Japanese side in their elimination-round encounter, 25-20, 25-22, 25-23.
(C) PVL Images
“The nerves got into the players during the first and second sets, so we couldn’t execute. We just reminded them to enjoy the game,” said head coach Kiyokazu Yamamoto through a translator.
“PLDT has strong defense, a fast setter, and quick attacks. Our plan is to break their defense with aggressive serving. In our last game, we lost all the close sets because of errors — that’s something we’ll work on. We believe we still have a chance to win,” added team captain Sakura Furuta, as they look ahead to the championship showdown.
After dropping the first two sets, Kobe Shinwa looked headed for defeat, trailing 16-20 in the third frame. But the young squad — whose average age is just 19 — displayed remarkable composure under pressure.
Chery Tiggo opened the door with three costly errors, and a Reira Miyazaki attack leveled the score at 20. With the set tied at 24, Komatsuda and Kokoro Yasuma delivered clutch back-to-back hits to extend the match.
The fourth set followed a similar script, as crucial Crossovers errors allowed Kobe Shinwa to seize momentum and force a decider.
(C) PVL Images
In the fifth, a 2-2 tie was the closest Chery Tiggo would get. Ishikawa, Yasuma, and Miyazaki combined for a lethal 7-1 run that broke the match wide open, 9-3, paving the way for a blowout finish in what many expected to be a nail-biter.
Komatsuda registered her best performance of the tournament with 29 kills and two blocks. Yasuma backed her up with 16 points, while Ishikawa chipped in 11 points along with 16 receptions and 13 digs.
Furuta anchored the offense with 33 excellent sets and added three aces.
Meanwhile, the Crossovers (3-2) will battle Creamline for bronze on Sunday at 4:00 PM.
Jasmine Nabor tallied 32 excellent sets in the loss, distributing the ball to Ara Galang, Imee Hernandez, and Cess Robles. Galang finished with 19 points and 16 digs, Robles added 18 markers, and Hernandez scored 17.
Libero Jen Nierva also had a standout effort with 26 digs and 24 receptions.
