In their bid to defend their Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference title, Kurashiki Ablaze aims to inspire the next generation of volleyball stars in the Philippines.
The Ablaze, who clinched the 2023 title, returned to the tournament with a strong start, defeating Thai guest team Est Cola, 25-20, 25-18, 23-25, 25-21, on Wednesday afternoon.
Head coach Hideo Suzuki shared that their primary goal in returning to the PVL was to deliver high-quality volleyball for fans to enjoy, hoping to inspire Filipino children to take up the sport.
“We wanted to play good volleyball with the hopes that Filipino children see our style of volleyball and are inspired to play the sport in the future,” Suzuki said through a translator.
(C) PVL Images
Despite the victory, Suzuki expressed dissatisfaction with their performance, particularly after dropping a set to Est Cola – a team comprised of Thailand’s Under-18 and Under-20 national players.
Malaysian-Taiwanese standout Low Mei Cing led Kurashiki with 22 points in their first game, while four other players scored in double digits.
Yukino Yano impressed with an all-around performance, contributing 15 points, 22 receptions, and 11 digs, while Saya Taniguchi added 14 points.
Saki Tanabe and Mami Gondo also chipped in with 11 points each.
“We were happy to play again in front of the PVL fans, but in this first game, the players were nervous, and it was a so-so performance. We need to be better,” Suzuki noted.
The Ablaze swept the competition in 2023, finishing with a perfect 6-0 record, capped by a thrilling five-set victory over Creamline in the gold medal match.
Kurashiki is coming off a championship run in Japan’s V.League Division 3 and now competes in the unified V.League against former Division 2 and Division 3 teams.
