Tornadoes yield to Japanese, face Kazakhs in vital tiff

MANILA, Philippines – The NEC Red Rockets of Japan gave Foton Pilipinas a neat volleyball lesson, fashioning out a methodical 25-13, 25-7, 25-15 victory yesterday in the AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.

The Japanese crushed the hosts with crisp spiking, solid net defense and superb floor coverage with skipper Akari Oumi spearheading the 66-minute demolition with 13 hits, including 11 attack points, one block and an ace.

Meanwhile, Altay VC of Kazakhstan held off Thongtin Lienvietpost Bank of Vietnam, 25-21, 25-16, 25-22, to launch its second round campaign while Jakarta Elektrik PLN of Indonesia whipped Kwai Tsing of Hong Kong in the classification battle for ninth, 25-12, 25-15, 25-12.

Ba’yi Shenzheng of China also dominated Sarmayeh Bank of Iran, 25-18, 25-19, 25-14, in the other game of the tournament put up by SMM Sport, Nike, Senoh, Asics, Mikasa, Foton, BMW, Rexona, PLDT and Price Waterhouse Cooper with Crimson Hotel as official residence and TV5 and SMMTV of Thailand as broadcast partners.

Foton Pilipinas still has one more game in pool play, taking on the tall Kazakhstan side at 1:30 p.m. today in a game which Italian coach Fabio Menta billed as crucial.

A win by Foton would allow it to avoid Ba’yi Shenzheng of China or reigning champion Bangkok Glass of Thailand in the quarterfinals starting Friday.

But skipper Jaja Santiago is a doubtful starter as she is set to play for her school National University in another league while import Lindsay Stalzer remains in sickbay.