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Foton bows to Japan's NEC Red Rockets in AVC tourney

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/sports/9/6/foton-090616.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Japan muscled its way to a total of 48 kills and showed high level of volleyball against an international competition newbie Foton Pilipinas. Richard Esguerra, <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/volleyball/photos" target="_blank">ABS-CBN Sports</a></div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – The NEC Red Rockets of Japan dominated Foton Pilipinas in the 2016 AVC Asian Women&#x27;s Club Championship, cruising to a 25-13, 25-7, 25-15 victory on Tuesday afternoon at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.The Japanese team needed only 66 minutes to demolish the Tornadoes, with skipper Akari Oumi spearheading their assault.It was a total team effort for Japan, however, as they set the pace early and never let up to demolish the Tornadoes, who were playing without PSL Grand Prix Most Valuable Player Lindsay Stalzer because of back spasms.Oumi had 11 kills, one block, and one serve to finish with 13 points, while Sarina Koga and Mizuki Yanagita had 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the NEC Red Rockets.They were at their best in the second set, when they raced to a 9-0 start and never looked back. It wasn&#x27;t until Koga committed a service error that Foton got on the scoreboard, 1-9, and it took an EJ Laure backrow kill before they scored on an attack point of their own, 5-19.The Red Rockets crushed the Tornadoes in almost all skills departments, most notably in attacks, 28-14, and in service, when they registered six aces to none by the Filipinos. Foton Pilipinas won the blocking department, 6-4.&quot;I tweeted a while ago that today, we are going to school, and Japan is the teacher who will give us a lesson,&quot; Foton Pilipinas head coach Fabio Menta said. &quot;I think we still did pretty well.&quot;&quot;I actually thought that we would not score past 10 points, but today, the girls had some flashes of brilliance and challenged Japan at some points in the match,&quot; he added.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">Going to school. Japan is the teacher and we will learn the lesson. Kazakhstan is advised... <a href="https://t.co/kmGInJlGr9">pic.twitter.com/kmGInJlGr9</a>— Fabio Menta (@fabio_menta) <a href="https://twitter.com/fabio_menta/status/773042050686070784">September 6, 2016</a></blockquote><script async="" src="~//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>(READ: <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/volleyball/news/2016/09/04/reported-hermaphrodite-player-gets-love-pinoy-fans-15160" target="_blank">Reported hermaphrodite Manganang gets love, respect from Pinoy fans</a>)Nobody from Foton Pilipinas reached double-digits in scoring, with import Ariel Usher scoring seven points, and Abigail Maraño tallying four hits.Jovelyn Gonzaga acknowledged that the Japanese were simply too strong, too talented, and too disciplined for them.&quot;Dito makikita kung gaano kalayo ang level ng volleyball dito sa Philippines,&quot; said Gonzaga. &quot;Pero naniniwala ako na through discipline, good training program, good coach, kaya din natin maabot kung nasaan sila ngayon.&quot;&quot;Kaunting tiyaga at pasensya pa.&quot;(Here, we saw how far Philippine volleyball has to go. But I believe that through discipline, a good training program, a good coach, we can reach Japan&#x27;s level. It&#x27;s going to take more hard work and patience.)Foton Pilipinas still has one more game in pool play against the taller Kazakhstan team, which Menta said will be the &quot;game of our lives.&quot;A win over the Kazakhs will allow the Tornadoes to avoid Ba&#x27;yi Shenzheng of China, or reigning champion Bangkok Glass of Thailand in the quarterfinals, which starts on Friday.It remains to be seen if Jaja Santiago will play for Foton on Wednesday as the game&#x27;s 1:30 p.m. schedule will clash with her game for National University in the V-League.Stalzer is also expected to remain in sickbay, as she has yet to get the go-signal from her doctor depending on the result of her MRI.&quot;As a coach, we have to make do with what we have,&quot; said Menta. &quot;If Jaja sits out, then we&#x27;ll play Maika (Ortiz). That&#x27;s the only solution.&quot;In an earlier game, Jakarta Elektrik PLN of Indonesia flattened Kwai Tsing of Hong Kong in the classification battle for 9th to 12th places, 25-12, 25-15, 25-12, while Altay VC of Kazakhstan kicked off its second round campaign on a high note with a 25-21, 25-16, 25-22 win over Thongtin Lienvietpost Bank of Vietnam.Ba&#x27;yi Shenzheng of China was also impressive, dominating Sarmayeh Bank of Iran, 25-18, 25-19, 25-14, in the third game.For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/" target="_blank">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.

The NEC Red Rockets of Japan dominated Foton Pilipinas in the 2016 AVC Asian Women's Club Championship, cruising to a 25-13, 25-7, 25-15 victory on Tuesday afternoon at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.

The NEC Red Rockets of Japan dominated Foton Pilipinas in the 2016 AVC Asian Women's Club Championship, cruising to a 25-13, 25-7, 25-15 victory on Tuesday afternoon at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.