Volleyball: PH salvages bronze with thrilling win over Thai-Denmark Saraburi | ABS-CBN

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Volleyball: PH salvages bronze with thrilling win over Thai-Denmark Saraburi

Volleyball: PH salvages bronze with thrilling win over Thai-Denmark Saraburi

ABS-CBN News

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The Philippine national team celebrates their win. Photo courtesy of Thailand Volleyball

Rebisco-Philippines will head home from the 2019 Thailand Open Sealect Tuna Championships with a bronze medal.

This, after the national team overhauled a two-set deficit to claim a thrilling 22-25, 27-29, 25-18, 25-18, 26-24 upset over Thai-Denmark Saraburi on Tuesday at the Wee Sommay Gymnasium in Sisakaet.

Five-time UAAP Most Valuable Player Marck Espejo spearheaded the Filipinos' charge, as he finished with 35 points on 27 kills, 5 blocks, and 3 aces. Bryan Bagunas added 24 points, and Ranran Abdilla scored 19 in the hard-earned triumph.

After trailing by five heading into the second technical timeout of the second set, the Nationals, led by Espejo and Kim Malabunga, displayed their net defense and uncorked a 4-0 rally to cut the deficit to a solitary point, 15-16.

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Tied at 23-all, Ranran Abdilla unshackled the scores to put the Filipinos ahead by a point. Malabunga was able to tie the score at 27-all with a quick. However, a well-executed attack from Saraburi and an error from Jessie Lopez placed Rebisco to a 0-2 disadvantage.

The Nationals then rallied behind Bagunas and led by as much as seven points to take the third set. In the following frame, Espejo ran roughshod on Saraburi, firing three points on Rebisco’s 4-1 run to extend the game to a deciding fifth set.

With their hopes hanging in balance, Espejo and Bagunas scored on consecutive hits to tie the game at 12-all. Espejo committed a service error which put the Thais ahead by one, 12-13.

Malabunga was able to tie the game at 13-all. It was a nip-and-tuck affair from there, but the Nationals' proved to be the more composed team down the stretch, as they were able to eke out a narrow 26-24 victory to settle for a bronze medal finish.

For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.

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