Photo credit: PVL

Kurashiki Ablaze once again proved their dominance, claiming the bronze medal in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational 2024 with a straight-sets win over Thailand’s Est Cola. The Japanese powerhouse battled their way to a 25-22, 26-24, 25-20 victory at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Thursday, showing that they still had plenty of fight left despite missing out on their championship defense.

Est Cola came out strong, giving the veteran Kurashiki squad a run for their money, especially in the first two sets. But the Japanese team, known for their calm under pressure, managed to fend off the Thai squad’s youthful energy and resilience. The second set was particularly nerve-wracking, with Kurashiki having to save a set point before clinching it with a crucial attack error by Est Cola.

By the third set, Kurashiki had fully found their rhythm, jumping to a commanding 13-4 lead and never looking back, securing the bronze medal in just 1 hour and 29 minutes.

While this year’s campaign didn’t go as planned—Kurashiki was halted in its tracks by Creamline and then Cignal, two of the Philippines' top teams—the Ablaze held their heads high. Their bronze-medal finish was a testament to their tenacity and a reminder of their championship pedigree, reminiscent of their title run in the previous year’s tournament.

“We came here to win gold, but after our loss to Cignal, we reset our mindset. Today, we just wanted to finish strong and show what we’re capable of,” said team captain Saki Tanabe, who led the charge with 13 points. “We’re happy to bring home the bronze, and we’ll come back even stronger.”

Kurashiki’s standout performance wasn’t just about flashy plays, though. Low Mei Cing led the team with 14 points, while Tanabe also shone on defense, contributing seven excellent digs. Yukino Yano added eight points, including the critical strike that sealed the second set.

For Est Cola, Warisara Seetaloed and Natthawan Phatthaisong carried the scoring load with 25 points combined. Despite their valiant efforts, the young Thai squad couldn’t maintain their momentum, especially with Kurashiki’s setter Kyoka Oshima dictating the pace of the game. Oshima was pivotal with 19 excellent sets, outclassing her counterpart Kanokporn Sangthong, who only managed six.

Though Est Cola had more service aces (4-2), their 22 unforced errors proved costly. In contrast, Kurashiki's discipline shone through, conceding only 13 points due to their own mistakes and capitalizing on Est Cola's lapses to seal the victory.

With the bronze now in hand, Kurashiki has their eyes set on returning next year, hungrier and wiser, aiming to reclaim their spot at the top of the PVL stage.