Japan made its campaign felt at the 2022 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup for Women with a 25-18, 25-19, 25-22 triumph over Southeast Asian powerhouse Thailand on Sunday, Aug. 21, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
The Japanese unleashed their speed and defensive might against an equally formidable Thailand crew to clinch their first win in Pool B.
Yuki Nishikawa spearheaded Japan with 20 points including the down-the-line spike that sealed the victory, while Miyu Nakagawa added 14 points built on 12 kills and two blocks.
Despite the dominating victory, Japanese skipper Mika Shibata admitted nerves almost got in the way of their match.
“We got nervous because it’s our first play in the tournament but we got to play our volleyball. It was a really great game,” Shibata said through an interpreter.
Shibata also said they still needed to improve their offensive play going into their next matches.
Thailand put up a quick challenge midway the third set when it rose from an 11-8 deficit to a 12-11 lead anchored on Hattaya Bundasak’s serves, but Japan unleashed back-to-back combination plays to grab the 13-12 upperhand for good.
Chatchu-on Moksri came off the bench and topscored for the Thais with 10 points in the last two sets, while Sasipaporn Janthawisut and Watchareeya Nuanjam chipped in eight and six points, respectively.