Kurashiki playmaker Kyoka Ohshima introduced herself to Philippine volleyball after leading the Ablaze to a straight sets victory over Cignal in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference semifinals.
Ohshima, who was not feeling well during the team’s win over Kinh Bắc-Bắc Ninh last Saturday, played her first game in the PVL and tallied 22 excellent sets to spearhead the Japanese squad’s 25-23, 25-16, 25-23 win over the HD Spikers on Monday night.
“Her condition was not very good [referring to Kyoka Ohshima], so she rested during the first game. This game is important, so you want Kyoka to play,” said Kurashiki head coach Hideo Suzuki through an interpreter.
The Ablaze team captain lauded the HD Spikers’ effort above the net, saying that Cignal put on an exceptional performance in blocking as well as spiking during the straight sets match.
“I feel like Cignal is strong. They have tall players, and their blocking is high, so they thought about how to avoid the blocks. In this game, their spikes and attacks were impressive,” said Oshima.
The 25-year-old playmaker was also in awe of Philippine volleyball in general, saying that she was surprised by the number of fans watching the games at the Philsports Arena.
Aware that they will take on an F2 Logistics side that has a legion of fans behind them, Oshima said that they will try to match their energy by performing well inside the court.
“When we first saw the venue, there were so many fans. Lots of cheers. We were surprised. But I feel like the games in the Philippines are super enjoyable. Philippine volleyball is great,” said Oshima.
“Every time they score points, it’s like they’re shouting. Their style… we also have something to say after every point, so we shout too. Tomorrow, our voices will be even louder, even if there are F2 fans. We will show our volleyball,” she added.
