MANILA – Jaja Santiago and the Saitama Ageo Medics returned to their winning ways in the 2021-22 V.League Division 1 women’s tournament, Sunday at the Saitama Prefectural Budokan.
With the Filipina import scoring 24 points, on 16 attacks, seven blocks and an ace, the Ageo Medics hacked out a 25-27, 25-19, 25-17, 21-25, 16-14 over Denso Airybees.
However, it was not an easy win for the Ageo Medics as they trailed 13-9 in the fifth and deciding set before unloading a massive 6-1 scoring run to turn things around.
Brazilian Lorenne Teixeira tallied 28 points on 25 attacks and three blocks, Yuka Sato added 12 points while Mami Uchiseto and Kyoko Aoyagi ended up with 10 each for the 11-7 Saitama.
Yuki Hyodo and Minami Nakamoto finished with 17 points each while import Roslandy Acosta played limited minutes with just six points as Denso slid to 13-7.
The victory served as a bounce back for Santiago and the Ageo Medics after suffering a 25-21, 27-29, 25-18, 18-25, 25-27 defeat to Hitachi Rivale on Saturday.
Santiago, the reigning Premier Volleyball League MVP awardee, tallied 16 points spread through 12 attacks, two blocks, and two service aces in that match.
Meanwhile, Bryan Bagunas and the Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler bowed to Toray Arrows, 21-25, 22-25, 12-25, in the 2021-22 V. League Division 1 men’s tournament at the Mishima City Gymnasium in Shizuoka.
The former National University Bulldogs star struggled with his offense as he ended up with just nine points for the Weisse Adler, which suffered its fifth consecutive loss to drop to 5-21.
Marck Espejo and the FC Tokyo, on the other hand, will have a lengthy break as their scheduled matches last weekend was postponed due to coronavirus disease 2019 infection./PN
