Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, June 11, 2022 – Spearheaded by hard-attacking Riri Kasai, unbeaten defending champions Japan whipped Philippines 3-0 (25-11, 25-18, 25-15) not only to top Pool B with five wins in a row, but also clinch semifinal berth in the 14th Asian Women’s U18 Volleyball Championship at Nakhon Pathom Sports Centre Gymnasium on Saturday and ticket to 2023 FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U19 World Championship.
Japan mixed the offensive combination of Riri’s powerful attacks and solid blocks and spikes from talented Mio Kitagawa and Sae Omori to take the lop-sided first set 25-11.
After that, the Filipinas were fighting gallantly in all moments of the match trying to take advantage of the opponents’ mistakes, but they failed to make their mark with their own games riddled with unforced mistakes. The Japanese form was a far cry from what they had done in their previous matches as they briefly lost their control, allowing the lower-ranked side a strong fightback, catching them in some crucial moments and surging ahead by wide margin. Fortunately, Japan regained their form and got back on track for the eventual straight-set win.
Riri Kasai, who was instrumental in lifting the Japan’s win, said after the match, “Today, our attacking combination did not work out well and we made several mistakes.”
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