VNL: Yuki Ishikawa shows resolve to lead undermanned Japan’s comeback over Olympic champion France

Faced with the absence of Ran Takahashi for the second consecutive game due to a nagging knee injury, and limited minutes from Yuji Nishida, who played sparingly versus France due to stomach pain, Japan found itself in a precarious position, trailing by two sets to none.

With his team rattled and struggling, Ishikawa knew he had to steady the ship.

“We were a little bit nervous,” the amiable captain said.

“First two sets, we were not working good. At the same time, we made too many mistakes, especially on our attacks.”

Ishikawa then strapped Ryujin Nippon onto his back and led a spirited resurgence to forge a fifth set. 

In the final frame, the 6-foot-4 outside hitter came through once more, delivering the finishing touches to complete the epic comeback against the reigning Olympic champions.

As the dust from the thrilling escape settled, Ishikawa emerged with 33 points built on 31 attacks, a block, and an ace. 

Throughout the uphill climb, the 28-year-old’s focus never wavered. 

While he was nailing one hit after another, Ishikawa paid no attention to his personal score, channeling all his energy into helping Japan secure the win.

“[Scoring 33 points] is not important for me. What's important is the team, so our teammates played very well, so I had to make the right plays,” he said. 

Ishikawa's heroic effort elevated Japan’s record to 8-3 for fifth place.

The Olympic-bound Ryujin Nippon, who are also assured of a Final Eight berth in the VNL, now set their sights on Team USA on Sunday, June 23, at 7:00 p.m.

“It's our last game in the Philippines, so we will do our best every time, and we will continue to play well,” Ishikawa vowed.