Rebisco displayed a huge improvement from yesterday’s match, but it was still not enough against the tough Uzbek club.
The Filipinos suffered a tight 26-24, 23-25, 18-25, 19-25 loss against AGMK in the 2021 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship, Saturday at Terminal 21 Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
Bunyodbek Khosinov and Bunyod Egamkulov proved to be too much for Rebisco’s defense as the duo dropped 18 points apiece.
Middle blockers Azizbek Kuchkorov and Sanjar Akhtamov also produced for the Uzbeks with eight combined block kills, finishing with 15 and 11 points, respectively.
Despite the defeat, it was a coming-out party for newcomer Nico Almendras, who head coach Dante Alinsunurin mentioned before as the one he expects to fill the role left by superstars Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo, scattering 14 points built on 12 attacks, a block, and an ace.
Trying to flip its luck, Rebisco changed its entire lineup in the fourth set with the exception of Jao Umandal who topscored with 19 points as Ysay Marasigan, John Vic De Guzman, Ish Polvorosa, JP Bugaoan, Francis Saura, and Manuel Sumanguid all saw floor time.
Trailing 17-23 in the fourth, the Filipinos managed to claw back within four after back-to-back hits from Umandal, but two consecutive errors from Rebisco proved to be the finisher, 25-19.
Ahead by two in the third salvo, AGMK unleashed four unanswered points to pull away for good, 19-13, and eventually take the 2-1 upper hand, 25-18.
Down 14-19 in the second frame, Rebisco uncorked an 8-3 run to tie things up but the Uzbeks retaliated with a 3-1 counter to equalize the game at one set apiece, 25-23.
Tied at 24 in the first canto after setter Mukhammadali Rasulov’s dump, the Philippine side nabbed back-to-back points via a down-the-line attack from Almendras and an attacking error from Egamkulov to draw first blood, 26-24.
Rebisco will aim for its first win tomorrow when it faces Al-Araqi Sports Club of Qatar at 7:30 pm.
