Japan avoided any complications in their quest to make the Final Four of the 2021 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League at Italy’s Adriatic resort of Rimini, as they came back from two sets down to edge the Dominican Republic in five sets on the opening day of Week 5, Friday.
Japan, reigning two-time Asian champions, fought back to beat the Dominicans 18-25, 24-26, 25-22, 25-15, 15-11 to capture their 10th win in this year’s VNL, bagging 27 points to stay at the 4th position.
Meanwhile, Brazil joined USA in securing a ticket to the semifinals, leaving two positions open, to be decided over the weekend in the last two days of pool play.
Japan and Turkey are the top runners for the two available spots, both at 10-3 and needing just one win in their remaining two games – but China, Russia and the Netherlands are still in with a theoretical chance.
Turkey face Korea and Brazil, Japan are up against Germany and Serbia on the last two days of pool play.
It was the usual case of Japan never letting the ball hit the floor – and they defended impeccably, as Mayu Ishikawa with 24 and Sarina Koga with 23 kept the points coming in.
On the other side of the net, Brayelin Martinez scored the match high of 31 and Bethania de la Cruz added 26 – but the ‘Queens of the Caribbean’ were outserved 6-1 and outblocked 10-7 (four stuffs from Haruyo Shimamura alone).
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