Jaja Santiago made history as the first Filipino volleyball player to win a professional title overseas in the Japan V.League V Cup on Sunday, March 28, at the Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo.

Playing for the Saitama Ageo Medics, Santiago propelled the team to defeat NEC Red Rockets in 4 sets, 26-24, 20-25, 25-21, 25-17, for the gold.

Santiago chipped in 11 points off 9 attacks and 2 blocks in the victory that sealed the team’s seven-game sweep of the 2021 V Cup tournament.

The Filipina stalwart and her team were able to rebound from their previous 5th place finish where they fell short of the semifinals of Japan’s top tier volleyball tournament.

Last year, Santiago was able to lead the Ageo Medics to a V. League bronze medal, making her the first Filipino volleyball player to land a podium finish in an international pro league. – Rappler.com