Cignal-Alas Pilipinas during a game against China in the AVC Men’s Champions League in Japan.–AVC PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Cignal-Alas Pilipinas ended up winless in Pool B after two games as it bombed out of contention in the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Men’s Champions League.
Alas got swept by China’s Shanghai Bright Men’s Volleyball Club, 12-25, 21-25, 18-25, on Tuesday at Panasonic Arena in Hirakata, Japan.
READ: Alas Pilipinas men falter in AVC Champions League opener
Just like their straight-set loss to the Osaka Bluteon of the home side two days ago, the Filipino Spikers were dominated in the opening set before putting up a better showing in the last two sets.
Despite dropping the first set, where they trailed as much as 8-20, Steven Rotter, Marck Espejo, and Louie Ramirez lifted Alas from a 13-20 deficit and made it a four-point game, 18-22.
Xiu Chengcheng stopped the bleeding for Shanghai but Ramirez answered with his kill only for Jau Umandal to commit a service error that sent the Chinese to set point, 24-19. An error from Shanghai and Rotter saved two points for the Philippine side but Ramirez’s attack error gave the opposing side a two-set advantage.
Shanghai unleashed a 12-6 start in the third set off Zhang Zhejia’s attack and never looked back to claim the second and last quarterfinal ticket in Pool B, finishing with a 1-1 record.
READ: Alas Pilipinas arrives in Japan for AVC Men’s Champions League
Xiu led the Chinese club with 16 points. Polish import Michal Kubiak and Wang Bohan chipped in 10 points each to bounce back from a straight-set loss to Osaka less than 24 hours ago.
Alas turned to Cignal HD Spikers Rotter and Ramirez, who had a team-high 11 points each. Espejo had seven points, while Lloyd Josafat scored five.
The Angiolino Frigoni-coach squad is bracing for its historic hosting and participation in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in September.
The Filipinos are headed to New York for a training camp before a test event in June against squads from South Korea, Japan, and Thailand.
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