Asaka Tamaru admitted that she is still in the adjustment phase following ZUS Coffee’s debut loss to Petro Gazz in the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference last Thursday.
Tamaru’s return to the league ended on a somber note after the Thunderbelles bowed down to the Angels in straight sets, 16-25, 21-25, 21-25, at the Philsports Arena.
“It’s difficult to compare playing for a Japanese team and playing for a Philippine team because the feeling is different, but there are many differences from the Japanese volleyball style, which can be confusing,” said Tamaru, who spoke to the media through a translator app.
Despite not yet fully adapting to the Philippine style of play, Tamaru delivered an impressive performance for ZUS Coffee, scoring 17 points from 15 attacks and two blocks, along with eight excellent receptions and five excellent digs.
(C) PVL Images
The former Kurashiki star said that the warm support from Filipino fans allowed her to perform at her best despite the circumstances.
“I was able to do my best because I received a lot of messages of support from my fans in the Philippines on Instagram. It was a lot of fun,” she said.
Tamaru played a pivotal role in the Ablaze squad’s triumph at the 2023 PVL Invitational Conference, where they defeated the powerhouse Creamline in a thrilling winner-take-all finale. She even delivered the title-clinching ace, sealing their victory.
The 25-year-old winger was also named the First Best Open Spiker of the tournament.
Earlier this year, Tamaru returned to the Philippines after serving as an assistant coach under ZUS Coffee head coach Jerry Yee at Farm Fresh and the University of the East in the UAAP.
