SAKAI made short work of Bryan Bagunas and Oita Miyoshi, 25-20, 25-23, 25-19, to keep its hold of the share of the lead in the Japan V.League on Saturday at the Fukuoka Prefectural Kurume Sports Center.
Japan V.League results
Yuki Higuchi showed the way for the Blazers with 14 points with an efficient 11-of-16 attacking clip including three blocks to arrest a two-game skid after beating the Weisse Adler in one hour and 11 minutes.
Canadian import Shanon Vernon-Evans scattered 10 spikes, two blocks and an ace for 13 points, while Naoya Takano added 10 as Sakai improved to 14-5 to force a three-way tie for the league lead with Toray and Suntory.
Bagunas was limited to nine points built on eight attacks and an ace, while Emerson Rodriguez took over on Oita Miyoshi’s offense, scoring 14 as they dropped to 4-15 in the ninth spot.
Meanwhile, Suntory pounced on the Marck Espejo-less FC Tokyo, 25-19, 25-19, 25-17, at the Sumida Ward General Gymnasium.
Russian import Dmitry Muserskiy and Chinese middle blocker Shikun Peng made quick work of Tokyo that missed the presence of Espejo, who was in street clothes for the second straight game.
Muserskiy led the Sunbirds with game-high 23 points built on 19 attacks, two blocks and as many as aces, while Peng had six blocks and as many as spikes to finish with 12 markers.
Masahiro Yanagida was also instrumental with eight points off five kills and three aces, playing only in the first two sets.
FC Tokyo’s two-game winning streak got snapped, sliding to 6-13 in the eighth place.
Yanagimachi Itta led the team with nine points, while Norwegian import Jonas Kvalen was held to seven-of-21 in attacking as he and Kuroda Yato finished with seven markers each.
Espejo and his team have yet to disclose the reason on why the Filipino import sat out in the past two matches.
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