JAPAN’s trifecta of stars had just been cut down to two.
And ahead of their much-anticipated 2024 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Manila leg finale vs. fellow fan favorite USA at 7 p.m. later, only one remains: team captain Yuki Ishikawa.
Last Friday, ace spiker Ran Takahashi left the Philippines and was taken off from Ryujin Nippon’s Manila leg squad as a precautionary measure due to a recurring knee injury.
READ: VNL Manila leg cut short for fan favorite Ran Takahashi
Then last Saturday, another top hitter in Yuji Nishida only lasted one set and had to be taken back to the dugout before they got to finish off their stunning reverse-sweep of reigning Olympic gold medalist France.
Nishida's playing status for Japan's showdown with the Americans remains uncertain, as head coach Philippe Blain bared that his early exit was prompted by stomach discomfort.
“Nishida felt small pain (in the stomach), so we preferred to rest him. This match is important, but the Olympics is more important for us,” the mentor said, admitting he wasn't about to risk the health of one of his top guns roughly a month before the Paris Games.
Ishikawa, who took matters into his own hands with a game-high 33 points, shrugged off his staggering solo output, but acknowledged that things got a bit too nervy for the Japanese after Nishida’s exit, especially once they were down two sets to none.
“(The individual statistics) are not important for me. What's important is the team. Our teammates played very well, so I had to make the right plays,” he said.
Who will get the louder cheers?
Entering the final day of prelims, it’s safe to say that the Americans have found their once-missing groove after being at the wrong end of an upset ax in the opener.
Since that sorry loss to Iran, though, Team USA has taken down two powerhouse sides in Brazil and Germany to keep itself in contention for the VNL quarterfinals.
Far from perfect as their play may have been in their buildup to the Olympics, team captain Micah Christenson is taking it day-by-day in terms of raising the bar for American volleyball.
“We’re just trying to get a little bit better than today. We were starting to get on this road where we’re taking steps in the right direction and we’re just gonna try to take another step in the right direction (against Japan) and enjoy the moment,” the skipper said.
And with a soldout crowd expected for the Manila leg finale, Christenson and the rest of the Americans are bracing for what could be the loudest crowd yet in their first-ever trip to the Philippines.
“I’m assuming, and I was told, it’s gonna be a full stadium here. Hopefully, we get a little bit of support. I know Japan is very popular here, but we’re gonna try to do our best for everybody," he said
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