Rebisco PSL Manila settles for 8th place after winless campaign

Rebisco PSL Manila Spikers. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

UST-KAMENOGORSK, Kazakhstan — Rebisco PSL-Manila came up with a lethargic performance against a vibrant Vietin Bank of Vietnam to yield a 25-13, 25-18, 25-15 loss Wednesday in the Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championships here.

The Philippine club wound up eighth and last in the tough field having lost all its six games in a telling development for a squad that would make up the national team.

A heavy evaluation is expected to happen when the team goes back to Manila as the 13 of the 14 players here are included in the 18-player national pool being groomed for the Asian Seniors and Southeast Asian Games in August.

Rebisco PSL Manila, backed by Asics, Grand Sport and Turkish Airlines, managed to come up with a respectable performances against eventual finalists Supreme of Thailand and Hisamitsu Springs.

But against a youthful Vietnam club, the Filipino players were simply shellshocked and appeared disjointed despite having some of the finest club players in the country.

“It’s a defeat. We take it. We go back to the drawing board and study where we go wrong,” said head coach Francis Vicente who are assisted by Brian Esquibel, Ronald Dulay and Manny Calipes.

Jaja Santiago topscored with 10 points but was mostly stymied by Vietin’s solid net defense. Aby Marano and Rachel Daquis added seven each, while Jovelyn Gonzaga chipped in five.

But they were never in control — aside from the brief juncture where they held a 10-5 lead in the second — as the Filipino couldn’t shield against the torrid attacks of Pham Thi Jim Hue and Doan Thi Xuan who led Vietnam with 16 and 12 points.

Vietnam is silver medalist in the SEA Games and the two games against them are seen as most vital gauge in preparing for the PH squad. Vietin also bested Rebisco in the groups stage (25-21, 17-25, 25-20, 25-14).

Kim Fajardo had 44 excellent sets and three points, the same output of Maika Ortiz. Mika Reyes and Bia General scored one each. Also comprising the team are Gen Casugod, Aiza Pontillas, Rhea Dimaculangan, Lourdes Clemente and Denden Lazaro.