ZUS Coffee’s Asaka Tamaru during the PVL Reinforced Conference.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Asaka Tamaru relished her comeback in the PVL, this time as an import of a young ZUS Coffee side in the 2024 Reinforced Conference.
Despite a tough straight-set loss to defending champion Petro Gazz last Thursday, the Japanese spiker, who led Kurashiki Ablaze to the Invitational Conference title last year, was thrilled to play in front of a supportive Filipino crowd once again.
“[I missed] the support from fans in the Philippines,” said Tamaru, who answered reporters’ questions through a translator app on her phone.
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ZUS Coffee import Asaka Tamaru answers the media interview through a translator app. #PVL2024 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/dgSvEjFx5u
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“I was able to do my best because I received a lot of messages of support from my fans in the Philippines on Instagram. It was a lot of fun,” she added.
Tamaru, who single-handedly carried the Thunderbelles in their 25-16, 25-21, 25-21 loss to the Petro Gazz Angels in Pool B, is transitioning from playing for a champion Japanese club to leading a rebuilding squad.
“It’s difficult to compare playing for a Japanese team and playing for a Philippine team because the feeling is different, but there are many differences from the Japanese volleyball style, which can be confusing,” said Tamaru, who was the hero of Kurashiki after she nailed the championship-clinching ace to beat Creamline in the knockout championship game last year.
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Tamaru, the 2023 Invitational Conference Best Opposite Spike,r is still impressed with the talent of her young teammates, especially NCAA MVP and Best Setter Cloanne Mondoñedo and Finals MVP Gayle Pascual from College of Saint Benilde.
“Each of us plays so well, so it’s hard to choose just one, but I’d say the setter and the opposite [spiker],” Tamaru said.
Tamaru and the Thunderbelles seek to bounce back in Pool B against the Cignal HD Spikers on Tuesday at 1 p.m.