Japanese flaunt speed, chemistry to blast Thunderbelles

4 p.m. – PLDT vs. Kobe Shinwa
6:30 p.m. – Cignal vs. ZUS Coffee

A three-year wait only made Kobe Shinwa University hungrier, more focused and more dangerous.

Finally getting a taste of Philippine volleyball, the Japanese side opened its PVL Invitational campaign in emphatic fashion, overpowering ZUS Coffee 25-14, 27-25, 25-17 on Saturday at Philsports Arena in Pasig.

Left as the lone Japanese representative after the last-minute withdrawal of 2023 champion Kurashiki Ablaze, Kobe Shinwa wasted no time stamping its class.

Leaning on its signature fast-paced system, seamless ball movement and superior chemistry, the collegiate powerhouse from Hyogo left little doubt about its championship intentions in the two-week tournament.

From the get-go, Kobe Shinwa ran a fluid offense anchored by setter Sakura Furuta, who orchestrated a variety of quick hits, combination plays and precise back-row attacks that left the Thunderbelles scrambling.

She finished with 18 excellent sets and was named Best Player of the Game.

“We’re happy to have played ZUS Coffee. It’s a nice experience,” said Furuta through an interpreter, acknowledging the effort and blocking of the local side.

Nagisa Komatsuda sizzled with 15 points, while Kokono Yasuma added 12 in just two sets, as Furuta’s masterful playmaking helped distribute points among nine other teammates.

The win marked a promising start for Kobe Shinwa, which is aiming to deliver a second Invitational title in three years for Japan following Kurashiki’s triumph in 2023.

The real tests begin this week, though, as the Japanese face more experienced PVL teams, starting with the PLDT High Speed Hitters on Monday.

ZUS Coffee played without ace setter Cloanne Mondonedo and Alas Pilipinas standout Thea Gagate, both of whom opted to rest.

Kate Santiago carried the scoring load for ZUS Coffee with 13 points, while rookie Wielyn Estoque rose to the occasion with 10.

Sharya Ancheta and newcomer Riza Nogales chipped in seven and five points, respectively.

Kobe Shinwa was originally slated to compete in the 2022 Invitational alongside Kurashiki but had to withdraw due to COVID-19 protocols after one of its players tested positive.

Now fully healthy, the squad didn’t waste the opportunity to showcase the brand of Japanese volleyball that has become synonymous with speed, discipline and precision.

Despite their youth and limited international experience, the Japanese looked every bit like seasoned professionals — outplaying and outsmarting a ZUS Coffee team that had only a day of preparation before the tournament.

The only resistance came in Set 2, where ZUS Coffee showed flashes of resilience and even pushed the frame to extra points.

With power hitters Santiago and Estoque leading the charge, the Thunderbelles briefly broke through the Japanese defense, taking a 25-24 lead late in the set.

But Kobe Shinwa, displaying poise under pressure, responded with back-to-back clutch plays and a final kill to steal the set 27-25.

From there, it was all business again.

In the third set, the Japanese raced to an early 10-5 lead and never looked back, outplaying the locals in all departments — floor defense, transition play and service reception — en route to a 69-minute romp.

With just one day of preparation, the Thunderbelles — the last team to secure a spot in the six-team field that included recent PVL on Tour semifinalists — were always facing an uphill battle.

Kobe Shinwa made sure there was no room for fairy tales, controlling the tempo from start to finish.

The Japanese team’s superiority was immediately evident in Set 1.

After shaking off early jitters and falling behind 0-3, Kobe Shinwa shifted gears with a barrage of combination plays, quick hits and precise back-row attacks — orchestrated by Furuta and executed flawlessly by a cohesive unit that knew exactly where to be at every moment.