AVC Photo
MANILA, Philippines—Qatar’s Al-Arabi Sports Club flexed its might against Team Rebisco with a three-set sweep, 25-19, 25-15, 25-19, in Group B of the 2021 AVC Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship Sunday at Terminal 21 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
Team Rebisco has now lost all three of its games while Al-Arabi, winner of 69 domestic trophies in Qatar, improved to 2-0 in the group stage.
The Filipinos, who didn’t have stars Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo, put up one last fight in the final stages of the third as they relied on young open spiker Joshua Umandal.
Playing as the team’s primary offensive force, Umandal tried to bring the Philippines as close as possible with his backrow off-speed kill putting Team Rebisco to within five, 23-18.
Umandal then tried to extend the match with another back-row kill, 24-19, but Abdulaziz Al Hitmi ended the proceedings with an off-the-block spike.
Felipe Bandero led Al-Arabi with 21 points while Ribeiro Renan added nine.
Umandal finished with 17 points, eight in the third, to lead the Filipinos.