V.League: Jaja Santiago, Saitama fall to defending champs

Jaja Santiago of the Saitama Ageo Medics in the Japan V.League. Photo from Saitama Ageo Medics

MANILA, Philippines — Jaja Santiago and Saitama got swept by defending champion JT Marvelous and fell to the sixth spot in Japan V.League Women’s Division 1 while Marck Espejo and Bryan Bagunas both sat out for their respective teams who had contrasting results in men’s play on Saturday.

Santiago was limited to six points built on four attacks and a pair of blocks as Ageo Medics yielded to JT Marvelous, 21-25, 21-25, 17-25,  at Hitachinaka Sports Park Gymnasium.

American Andrea Drews led JT Marvelous with 19 points from 17 spikes, a block, and an ace, while Thai import Thatdao Nuekjang chipped in 12 markers off seven kills, four blocks, and an ace to keep their team in the No.1 seed with 23-5 record.

Saitama, which relied on Mami Uchiseto’s 13-point effort, slid to 16-11 in the sixth place.

Meanwhile, Espejo sat out but FC Tokyo arrested its three-game skid after edging VC Nagano, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-20, at Swan Dome in Okaya.

Espejo was not fielded in anew after missing their Saturday game against Toray last week while playing just a short while in the third set of their Sunday match.

Norwegian spiker Jonas Kvalen stepped up in the absence of the Filipino import, delivering 23 points as Tokyo improved to 9-21.

Yuma Nagatomo was also instrumental for FC Tokyo with 17 markers as they overcame the 31-point explosion of Kota Ikeda for Nagano, which absorbed its 30th loss in 31 matches.

Bagunas, on the other hand, didn’t play for the first time this season as Oita Miyoshi absorbed its ninth straight loss at the hands of Panasonic, 16-25, 16-25, 11-25, at Cycle Shop Kodama Osu Arena.

Kunihiro Shimizu powered Panasonic with 17 points to climb to the third spot with 21-10 card while sending Oita Miyoshi to 5-26.

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