Bryan Bagunas for Oita Miyoshi. Photo from Bryan Bagunas’ Facebook
MANILA, Philippines—Oita Miyoshi and Bryan Bagunas suffered a straight set defeat to league leader Sakai, 25-20, 25-23, 25-19, in the 2021-22 Japan V.League Saturday at Fukuoka Prefectural Kurume Sports Center Gymnasium.
The Weisse Adler slipped to a 4-15 record while staying at the ninth seed of the standings while the Blazers are on a three-way tie for first with the Toray Arrows and defending champions Suntory Sunbirds at 14-5.
Bagunas had nine points in the loss as Emerson Rodriguez led Oita Miyoshi with 14 points.
Yuki Higuchi had 14 points to lead Sakai while Sharone Vernon-Evans added 13 points.
Marck Espejo, meanwhile, didn’t play in FC Tokyo’s three-set loss to the Sunbirds 25-19, 25-19, 25-17 at Sumida Ward General Gymnasium in Tokyo.
Yanagimachi Itta had nine points to lead FC Tokyo while Jonas Kvalen added seven points as they slipped to 6-13 record at the eighth seed in the ladder.
Dmitriy Muserskiy led Suntory with 23 points.
Jaja Santiago and Saitama didn’t play in their match against NEC as their weekend series got canceled after an official from the Red Rockets tested positive for COVID-19.