By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Kobe Shinwa University pulled off a stunning comeback, clawing back from two sets down to defeat Chery Tiggo, 21-25, 17-25, 26-24, 25-22, 15-6, and secure a spot in the finals of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference at the Araneta Coliseum on Friday, Aug. 29.
Versatile setter Sakura Furuta was instrumental in the Japanese collegiate team’s assault by delivering 33 excellent sets on top of three points to fully activate their spikers and destroy the Crossovers’ net defense on their way to the championship round.
The Japanese crew finished the preliminaries with a 4-1 record at second, arranging a one-game title showdown with unbeaten PLDT High Speed Hitters (5-0).
Chery Tiggo, for its part, finished with 3-2 at third.
The Crossovers dictated the tempo in the first two sets with Ara Galang, Imee Hernandez and Ces Robles delivering timely hits, but the Japanese visitors rediscovered their offensive prowess in the third that allowed them to set the pace.
Kobe Shinwa’s confidence was evident in the deciding fifth frame when they cruised to 6-3 and 9-4 leads and never looked back since then.
Nagisa Komatsuda bannered the Japanese squad with an impressive 31-point performance highlighted by 29 attacks, while Kokoro Yasuma was equally explosive by firing 14 of her 16 points on kills.
Two other players scored in double figures for Kobe Shinwa in Arisu Ishikawa, who finished with 11 points including an off-the-block spike that sealed the victory, and Reira Miyazaki, who chipped in 10 points.
Chery Tiggo did the best it could in slowing down Kobe Shinwa’s attacks by managing 13 blocks — five from Hernandez — but the Japanese were too hot to handle, bombarding them with 73 kills.
It made up for Kobe Shinwa’s 30 unforced errors.
Galang had 19 points, while Robles and Hernandez posted 18 and 17 points, respectively, in a losing effort.
