Santiago, Ageo earn sweep win as Bagunas, Espejo fall anew

Jaja Santiago and the Saitama Ageo Medics completed a two-game weekend sweep of the winless Toyota Auto Body Queenseis with a hard-fought straight-sets decision, 25-21, 25-21, 25-23, in the Japan V. League on Sunday, November 28.

Much like the previous game, the champion star blocker took a background role in the win, and finished with just 6 points off 4 attacks, and 2 blocks, while Yuka Sato led the way anew with 20 markers, all off attacks.

With the pair of wins to end the weekend, the Medics remained in good condition with a 7-5 record, good for sixth place in the 12-team field.

They now aim to keep their winning streak alive next weekend, December 4 and 5, with a back-to-back slate against the eighth place Hitachi Rivale, holders of a 5-7 record.

Not all is well, however, for the Filipino import contingent this weekend as both Bryan Bagunas and new V. League All-Star Marck Espejo again suffered quick sweeps against their respective opponents.

Bagunas actually started well against the JT Hiroshima Thunders with 5 points off 3 attacks, and 2 blocks in the first set, but he was then curiously benched for the latter two frames as Oita Miyoshi ate up a 16-25, 17-25, 15-25 blowout loss.

No player from the losing side breached double-digit scoring as Kenta Koga and Shota Fujiwara led with 8 and 6 points, respectively.

Oita remained at ninth place in the 10-team division with a 2-10 record, and now hope for better showings next weekend against the fifth-ranked Suntory Sunbirds.

Unlike Bagunas, Espejo played two sets in FC Tokyo’s 13-25, 21-25, 20-25 loss to the Toray Arrows, but he fared no better as he finished with just 3 points, all off attacks.

Yuma Nagatomo led the way with 10 points off 8 attacks, 1 block, and 1 ace as Tokyo slid down to a 3-9 record in eighth place just above Oita.

They now face a pair of difficult challenges next weekend as they face the top-ranked Sakai Blazers, who currently hold an elite 10-2 record. – Rappler.com