VietinBank vs Rebisco PSL Manila. CONTIBUTED PHOTO
UST-KAMENOGORSK, Kazakhstan — VietinBank engaged Rebisco PSL Manila in an intense firefight and emerged victorious, 25-21, 17-25, 25-20, 25-14, Friday in the Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championships here.
The Vietnamese club didn’t hold any punches against the newly formed Filipino team whose core comprised the national squad, working very hard on defense in one juncture and then launching vigorous offense in the next.
Dinh Thi Thuy created trouble for the Rebisco defense as she unleashed 24 points, while teammates Pham Thi Kim Hue, Le Thanh Thuy and Doan Thi Xuan contributed 15, 14 and 12 markers, respectively.
But Vietin also doubled down on the defensive end, tiring down the Filipinos with excellent floor defense that produced 13 digs against Rebisco’s five.
Volleyball fans, let’s rally behind these lovely ladies #RebiscoPSLManila #TeamPilipinas pic.twitter.com/9c7WtijPLQ
— Marc Anthony Reyes (@marcreyesINQ) May 26, 2017
The Rebisco Spikers led, 9-4, in the first set as they flashed their individual brilliance and energetic defense.
But soon the Vietnamese, displaying steely nerves, caught on, breaking an 18-all standoff to steal the set.
Filipino superstars Jaja Santiago, Aby Marano and Jovelyn Gonzaga then joined hands to claim the next set with the trio throwing down from all angles to wear down the Vietnamese.
Santiago scored 17 while Gonzaga and Marano each added 10 markers for the Rebisco PSL Manila, which had a share of fans inside the Boris Alexandrov Sports Palace.
In the third, Rebisco kept breathing down VietinBank’s neck and closed in, 17-19, only to see the Vietnamese employ unrelenting attacks mostly coming off a excellent digs.
The Filipinos were in step in the fourth, coming within 10-13 but faded away with a string of errors.
Now at 0-2 after losing to Hisamitsu Springs in the opener, Rebisco PSL Manila will next face Tianjin Bohai Bank on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. (1:30 p.m. in Manila).
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