AT 17 years old, Serah Ankomah has already found herself carrying out a job few setters would expect in the middle of an international volleyball tournament.
Whenever EST Cola takes the floor in the 2026 PVL Invitational, the young Thai-Ghanaian playmaker can often be found helping translate her teammates’ answers from Thai during post-game press conferences, serving as an unlikely bridge between the Thai club and its Filipino hosts.
READ SCENARIOS: EST Cola-Creamline finals doesn't happen if...
But when EST Cola faced its biggest test yet against 11-time PVL champion Creamline, Ankomah finally had a chance to do what she was really brought to the Philippines for.
And the teenager delivered.
Pulled from the Thai deck after seeing only limited action in EST Cola’s lone loss so far to PLDT and in its victory over Nxled, while sitting out entirely in the win against Farm Fresh, Ankomah became the surprise sparkplug in activating the Thai club’s offense in a stunning four-set upset of Creamline.
The young setter finished with 13 excellent sets and a point, helping EST Cola find the rhythm it needed to take down Philippine volleyball’s most successful club.
It was another significant moment for a player who has already been exposed to the highest levels of Thai volleyball, having been part of previous national team iterations in the Volleyball Nations League and SEA V.League despite her age.
That early exposure has also come with expectations.
Ankomah is the sibling of Thai men’s volleyball icon Napadet Bhinijdee, adding another layer to the spotlight surrounding one of Thailand’s most promising young playmakers.
Still, the teenager admitted that finding her footing with EST Cola has not always been easy.
“It’s not easy for me. It's very difficult to understand because I'm a new player. But I try to learn everything in the game and from the seniors in my team who just help me every time, and I also try to talk a lot in the game," she said.
That willingness to communicate paid off against Creamline, where EST Cola’s offense clicked with Ankomah helping distribute the ball and keep its attackers involved in the biggest win of its PVL Invitational campaign.
Now comes another important test on Sunday as EST Cola can move closer to, or even clinch, a finals berth with a win over fellow foreign guest team Ho Chi Minh, raising the stakes to what could be another defining match for the young setter.
But Ankomah is not letting the situation weigh too heavily on her.
“I feel like relaxed. That's all. I'm not pressured, actually. I'm not too pressured, just relaxed. Everything is okay and we have good teamwork," she said.
For the 17-year-old who has spent much of the tournament translating for others, Sunday could offer another opportunity to let her game do the talking.
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