MANILA – Jaja Santiago and Saitama Ageo Medics are back on track in the 2021-22 Japan V.League Division 1 women’s tournament, posting a 27-25, 25-17, 25-18 sweep of PFU Bluecats at the Komatsu General Gymnasium.
The 6-foot-5 Filipina middle blocker finished with six points on four attacks and two blocks; this was already enough for the Ageo Medics to snap their three-game losing skid and improve to 3-3 win-loss slate.
Mami Uchiseto top-scored with 15 points while reinforcement Lorenne Teixeira finished with 13 points, including three service aces for the Ageo Medics which were beaten by the Bluecats last Saturday.
Melissa Valdez, meanwhile, was the lone bright spot for the Bluecats with 22 points,. The next scorer was Mikoto Shima who was limited to just nine markers in the game.
Santiago and the Ageo Medics look to stretch their winning streak in the V.League when they tangle with Hisamitsu in another two-game series this weekend at the Panasonic Arena.
Unlike Santiago, Filipino volleyball stars Marck Espejo and Bryan Bagunas still could not get back to their winning ways in the Japan V.League men’s division. Their squads falter anew.
Bagunas and the Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler suffered their fifth consecutive loss after opening the season with a win via a 25-17, 25-18, 22-25, 25-16 defeat of Toray at the Miyazaki Prefectural Gymnasium.
The 6-foot-5 outside spiker from sthe National University Bulldogs was held to just eight points by the defense of Toray. He connected only seven of his 20 attack attempts.
Espejo and FC Tokyo, on the other hand, suffered a 26-24, 25-23 23-25, 25-23, 25-21 loss to Nagoya over at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium Entryo.
Espejo saw himself checked anew by the defense as he was limited to just six points in 22 attempts. His squad has yet to taste a victory in six matches./PN
