Pasig City, MINA – In perhaps the most surprising result of the 2026 Women’s Volleyball Nations League so far, the Dominican Republic scored its first win of the season against Japan, handing the undefeated team their first loss since the start of the competition.
As reported by Volleyball World, the Queen of the Caribbean secured a four-set victory over their formidable opponents in Pasig City, Philippines, on Saturday.
The Dominican Republic rallied from a set down to celebrate a hard-fought 3-1 (17-25, 25-20, 28-26, and 25-23) victory over Japan in front of a Filipino crowd.
The third set was the most competitive of the match. The lead changed hands several times, and in extra time, the Dominicans were the first to reach a set point. However, in extra time, they had to fend off several Japanese set points before finally taking the set and taking the lead.
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Dominican outside hitter Flormarie Heredia led the way with a game-high 17 points, while three other Dominican players also reached double-digit scoring: outside hitter Yonkaira Pena Isabel with 13 points, and middle blocker Sthefany Gonzalez and 22-year-old opposite hitter Alondra Tapia with 11 points each. Meanwhile, Japan outperformed its opponent offensively.
This victory lifted the Dominican Republic out of the bottom of the VNL standings. They surpassed Bulgaria and France. They are now in 16th place with a 1-6 win-loss record and 4 points. Japan dropped to 6-1 and 16th in third place. The Asian team also lost ground in the FIVB World Rankings, dropping to sixth. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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