Kurashiki was stunned by the wild Filipino crowd it encountered in its first game in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference.
The Ablaze secured a victory over fellow foreign team Kinh Bac in four sets, overcoming a setback in the first set (23-25, 25-14, 25-20, 25-11) on Saturday evening at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The two guest teams were greeted by a crowd of 6,430 people upon their arrival at the venue, where Creamline and Cignal were also competing.
Kurashiki’s head coach, Hideo Suzuki, couldn’t help but be awed by the Filipinos’ love for volleyball.
“It was a wonderful experience for us because there were many fans, and we felt their cheers. We realized that Filipinos love volleyball,” said Suzuki through an interpreter.
Having no prior scouting information for Bac Ninh, the Japanese squad started slow, losing the first set 25-23.
However, the Ablaze quickly made adjustments before the second set, turning the tide in their favor and ultimately winning the match in four sets by significant margins.
Asaka Tamaru dazzled for Kurashiki with 29 points, primarily built on 28 attacks, while team captain Yukino Yano contributed 17 points.
Libero Kaoru Takahashi was also spectacular, providing 31 out of 49 digs and eight excellent receptions for the Japanese squad that did not concede a single service ace to their opponents.
“When we arrived at the venue and saw the audience, there were so many, and their cheers were loud. We felt that we would enjoy playing here. Thank you,” said Tamaru.
Next up for Kurashiki is a match against Cignal on Monday at 4 p.m. at the same venue.
Going up against the four Filipino squads to finish their semifinals schedule, Suzuki hopes that the roaring crowd will come to see them play again.
