It’s another podium finish for Saki Tanabe and the Kurashiki Ablaze in their second appearance in the league, finishing in third place after firing past Est Cola in the 2024 PVL Invitational Conference.
It was still a fiery finish for the Kurashiki Ablaze as they punctuated their second PVL Invitational stint with another podium finish, securing a 25-22, 26-24 and 25-20 victory over Est Cola to clinch bronze on Thursday, September 12 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Low Mei Cing paced the Ablaze with team-high 14 points while Saki Tanabe added 13 points as Kurashiki found some consolation a day after the heartbreaking five-set loss against the Cignal HD Spikers.
The Japanese volleyball club put the pedal to the metal early with a 16-8 in the third set after squeaking past the first two sets behind some crucial points and stops.
Est Cola responded with their own 3-0 run to make it 16-11 and got as close as 19-17 after a service ace from Nattharika Wasan.
It was a tight finish from that point on until reinging Final MVP Kyoko Oshima scored on a 1-2 play for a 23-20 lead.
An Est Cola service error put Kurashiki at match point, 24-20, before Cing sealed their straight-set dub with a towering block.
Reigning Invitational Conference Finals MVP Kyoka Oshima produced yet another masterful playmaking behind a team-high 19 excellent sets with seven other Kurashiki players scoring.
Meanwhile, Warisara Seetaloed took up the scoring cudgels for Est Cola with 14 points while Natthawan Phatthaisong added 11 markers.
Tanyaporn Seeso and Papatchaya Phointham combined for 14 points in a match that lasted for nearly one-and-a-half hour.
The Thai club finished fourth in their first taste of PVL action with a 1-4 win-loss card. Their lone win came at the expense of the Farm fresh Foxies.