Bannered by two Filipina imports, Nakhon Ratchasima QminC returned to the win column after dominating Nakornnont, 25-17, 25-15, 25-22, in the 2021-22 Volleyball Thailand League, Sunday at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok.
Nakhon Ratchasima’s top scorer Mylene Paat and the debuting Dindin Santiago-Manabat brought out the big guns en route to their first win in the second round.
Paat unloaded a game-high 24 points, including an 11-point eruption in the second set. Meanwhile, Manabat was still getting a feel of the league, but still got 12 points in her first game.
Photo from SMM Volleyball
“Magtatagpo din kami. Sorry na po, nag-aadjust pa ako two days pa lang kaming nagtraining. Magkoconnect pa kami. Sorry na agad agad,” Manabat tweeted moments after the match, acknowledging her lapses.
They cruised to big leads in the first and second sets to easily be on the verge of a sweep.
But in the third frame, a different Nakornnont squad appeared.
Nakornnont kept in step with Nakhon Ratchasima majority of the period but shot itself on the foot down the stretch.
Knotted at 19, Nakornnont committed four errors (two double contacts, one net violation, and one miscommunication) while Manabat and Paat buried one spike each to take the victory, 25-22.
Nakhon Ratchasima moved to 5-4, still at fourth place but just a game behind third seed Khonkaen Star at 6-3.
Moreover, Nakhon Ratchasima swept its regular season showdown against Nakornnont as it took a 26-24, 25-21, 20-25, 25-18 victory in the first round last Dec. 29.
Meanwhile, Nakornnont slid to 4-6.
Paat and Manabat look to build on this win and make it back-to-back when they face second-ranked Diamond Food on Wednesday, 3:30 pm (Manila time).
