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Tribune News Network
DOHA
Double runners-up Al Rayyan Club were off to a thrilling start but the Qatari club were stopped in the tracks as Panasonic Panthers from Japan staged a recovery to post a shocking five-set victory in the Asian Men’s Club volleyball semi-finals on Thursday.
Al Rayyan, the finalists in 2013 and 2014 and reigning double Arab clubs champions, won the opening set with ease. But after enforcing the tie-break, they could not continue their surge and lost the five-set thriller 25-19, 19-25, 23-25, 25-19, 9-15.
With this victory, the Japanese team set up the final showdown with Iran’s Shahrdari Varamin, who required four engrossing sets to tame Chennai Spartans of India 25-23, 25-22, 22-25, 27-25.
Al Rayyan, looking to make it to their third final, were served well again by Kamil Rychlicki and Marcus Costa. While Rychlicki collected 25 points with 20 smashes in 47 attempts, Costa secured 20, including a team-high four blocks.
For Panasonic Panthers, Michel Kubiak, who led Poland national team to back-to-back World Championship title, scored a match-high 29 points, including 23 attacks from 53 attempts, and three blocks.
Suntory Sunbirds gave Japan the first-ever silver medal in the 2001 Asian Men’s Club Championship in Shehong, China after going down to Korea’s Samsung Fire in the final and Toyoda Gosei Trefuerza won another silver medal for the nation in 2017 following after a disappointing 0-3 loss to Iran’s Sarmayeh Bank Tehran in the showdown.
In 2010, Panasonic Panthers claimed bronze in Zhenjiang, China after a scintillating 3-0 win over hosts Shanghai Tang Dynasty in the third-place playoff and with the hard-fought 3-2 win against Al-Rayyan on Thursday, Panasonic Panthers became the third team in Japan’s history to reach the final round of this topflight competition.
After both split the first four sets, both teams poured everything to win the decider. But Panthers stayed three points clear at 12-9. From that point, Kubiak and Otake joined the attacks to help the Japanese score three straight points including the last point from a Kubiak’s sharp spike to the back court for the eventual 15-9 win. Al Rayyan head coach Carlos Schwanke challenged the call but it was not successful.
DOHA
Double runners-up Al Rayyan Club were off to a thrilling start but the Qatari club were stopped in the tracks as Panasonic Panthers from Japan staged a recovery to post a shocking five-set victory in the Asian Men’s Club volleyball semi-finals on Thursday.
Al Rayyan, the finalists in 2013 and 2014 and reigning double Arab clubs champions, won the opening set with ease. But after enforcing the tie-break, they could not continue their surge and lost the five-set thriller 25-19, 19-25, 23-25, 25-19, 9-15.
With this victory, the Japanese team set up the final showdown with Iran’s Shahrdari Varamin, who required four engrossing sets to tame Chennai Spartans of India 25-23, 25-22, 22-25, 27-25.
Al Rayyan, looking to make it to their third final, were served well again by Kamil Rychlicki and Marcus Costa. While Rychlicki collected 25 points with 20 smashes in 47 attempts, Costa secured 20, including a team-high four blocks.
For Panasonic Panthers, Michel Kubiak, who led Poland national team to back-to-back World Championship title, scored a match-high 29 points, including 23 attacks from 53 attempts, and three blocks.
Suntory Sunbirds gave Japan the first-ever silver medal in the 2001 Asian Men’s Club Championship in Shehong, China after going down to Korea’s Samsung Fire in the final and Toyoda Gosei Trefuerza won another silver medal for the nation in 2017 following after a disappointing 0-3 loss to Iran’s Sarmayeh Bank Tehran in the showdown.
In 2010, Panasonic Panthers claimed bronze in Zhenjiang, China after a scintillating 3-0 win over hosts Shanghai Tang Dynasty in the third-place playoff and with the hard-fought 3-2 win against Al-Rayyan on Thursday, Panasonic Panthers became the third team in Japan’s history to reach the final round of this topflight competition.
After both split the first four sets, both teams poured everything to win the decider. But Panthers stayed three points clear at 12-9. From that point, Kubiak and Otake joined the attacks to help the Japanese score three straight points including the last point from a Kubiak’s sharp spike to the back court for the eventual 15-9 win. Al Rayyan head coach Carlos Schwanke challenged the call but it was not successful.
