The Philippines finally won a set although Team Rebisco still fell short and took a 26-24, 22-25, 25-13, 25-17 loss to Iran’s Saipa in the 21st Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship on Sunday (Oct. 3) evening at the Terminal 21 competition hall in Nakhon Ratchasima.
Rebisco ended up in fourth place with a 0-3 record in Pool B and will face Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC in Monday’s (Oct. 4) quarterfinals. The Thais swept Pool A after outlasting Kazahkstab’s Zhetysu, 25-20, 18-25, 25-19, 17-25, 15-10.
Nakhon Ratchasima went undefeated in two pool matches, while Zhetysu finished at 1-1 in second spot. Tied at 19 in the second set, Dindin Santiago-Manabat and Mhicaela Belen led Rebisco’s telling 6-3 run to level at one set apiece as the team used fluid ball distribution and excellent reception that Brazilian coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito was looking for.
The Filipinos could have led 2-0 in sets had they not squandered a 24-23 advantage late in the first set. Trailing 6-8 in the third set, the Iranians went on fire by scoring 19 of the next 24 points.
Saipa pulled away from a slim 13-10 edge in the fourth set by capitalizing on Rebisco’s errors to build a 22-14 lead and never looked back.
The Iranians finished third in their pool with a 1-2 card and will take on Kazahkstan’s Zhetysu in the quarterfinals. Santiago-Manabat led Rebisco with 17 points, including six in the second set win while Belen and Faith Nisperos had eight points each.
Skipper Aby Maraño, in her first appearance, matched Santiago-Manabat’s team-high two blocks.
“This team is still really young and I am really impressed with how the younger members showed their fighting spirit,” Santiago-Manabat, who turned 28 only last September 26, said.
READ MORE: PH volley teams show grit despite losses at Asian Women’s Club tourney
“This international exposure serves as our first step to boost our confidence, so the moment we step back on the court, we can show our opponents what we learned and how we can win.
De Brito, meanwhile, lauded the players for their improved performance and character.
“Our performance and behavior were definitely better today than yesterday,” de Brito said.
“When we are playing like this, the results we want come out.”
He said the team is headed toward accomplishing cohesion.
“It is not yet what we want for sure, but it’s definitely better, and we are improving a little more each day,” he said.
“I’m really happy because I told them that after a bad day, we can always pick ourselves up.”
Rebisco and Nakhon Ratchasima will face off for a spot in the semifinals at 1:30 p.m. (Manila time) today. (PNVF) – bny
READ MORE: AVC: PH Choco Mucho brace for Supreme duel in quarters
