PH-Rebisco played its best game in the Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship, giving Thailand’s Diamond Food everything to handle before dropping a 34-36, 26-25, 28-26, 19-25, 12-15, Monday (Oct. 11) night at the Terminal 21 competition hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
Instead of looking fatigued on their fourth match in as many days, the Filipinos played inspired volleyball, pushing last year’s Thailand League runners-up to the limit before ending their Pool B stint in fifth spot.
Mark Alfafara’s off-the-block hit gave Rebisco a 5-2 lead in the deciding set and was still ahead, 9-6, when Diamond Food turned to Kantapat Koonmee to prevail in the two hours and 55 minutes.
The defeat dropped the Filipinos to the 9th-10th place match where they will face the last-placed team in Pool A.
Despite the setback, coach Dante Alinsunurin was very satisfied with his troops’ performance that will surely make Filipino fans proud.
Jao Umandal, Rebisco’s leading scorer in the continental club competition, came through with 26 points, Mark Alfafara added 23 points, including a team-best three blocks, while skipper John Vic de Guzman had 16 points.
With the trio leading the attack, Rebisco had several five-point leads to start the match and was leading 19-15 when Diamond Food stormed back to tie the first set at 20-20.
It was a seesaw battle from there as the Thais snatched the protracted first set (36-34) which lasted for 46 minutes—with the Filipinos squandering several opportunities to close it out.
Rebisco was dragged to an extended second set, but this time around, things went in its favor.
Ysay Marasigan put the Filipinos at set point, 25-24, and Rebisco got a huge break on the next rally, winning a challenge as Diamond Food was called with a foot fault violation on Kantapat to tie at one set apiece.
Umandal scored off a combination play for the Filipinos to tie the third set at 16-16 when the Thais unloaded six unanswered points capped by a Pusit Phonarin’s crosscourt shot for a 22-16 advantage.
“Everyone definitely performed. We have been through a lot since 2019, we would have wanted our program to continue nonstop but the pandemic spoiled all our plans,” Alinsunurin said. “But with the results that we have seen since the first game, I am really contented because the players did everything they can.”
“This is our first time stepping in to a tournament of this scale,” he said. “I am really delighted with our team’s performance even when we did not win. We truly have learned a lot.” (PNVF) – bny
