In a stunning reversal that left the Araneta Coliseum crowd in awe Friday, Kobe Shinwa clawed back from a two-set hole to pull off one of the most improbable comebacks in recent PVL history – a 21-25, 17-25, 26-24, 25-22, 15-6 shocker over a dazed and stunned Chery Tiggo side – and punch its ticket to the Finals of the PVL Invitational Conference.

Known for their fast starts and rapid-fire offense, the young Japanese squad veered away from their usual script, instead showcasing their mettle, tactical maturity, and unshakeable resilience. At the center of their inspired rally was playmaker Sakura Furuta, who overcame a shaky start to orchestrate Kobe Shinwa’s epic turnaround with poise and brilliance.

After a forgettable first two sets marked by poor rhythm and mounting pressure, Furuta regrouped and took command. She dictated the pace, spread the offense masterfully, and fed her spikers with precision. Her efforts translated to 33 excellent sets and three points – numbers that only tell part of the story of her game-changing performance.

“In the first and second sets, I was very nervous, so I couldn’t deliver good balls to my spikers. That’s why Chery Tiggo got so many kill blocks,” Furuta admitted in post-game reflections through an interpreter. “But by the third set, I found my rhythm and got my game back. That’s when the quality of our setting improved. I’m just thankful we were able to win.”

From the moment Kobe Shinwa staved off defeat in the extended third set, momentum shifted entirely. They began dictating the rallies, defending with tenacity, and attacking with calculated aggression. What once seemed like a straight-sets cruise for Chery Tiggo turned into a collapse, as the Crossovers were left chasing shadows.

After a brief deadlock at 2 in the decider, it was all Kobe Shinwa. The Japanese unloaded four straight points that stunned Chery Tiggo into submission. Though Ara Galang momentarily broke their spell with an off-the-block kill, the tide had irreversibly turned.

Kokoro Yasuma and Nagisa Komatsuda took turns pounding the Crossovers’ defense with Komatsuda’s clever left-handed push – coming from an out-of-system scramble – typifying the kind of fight and finesse that defined their comeback.

Arisu Ishikawa then sealed the win with a check ball kill, completing the two-hour, two-minute stunner and sending Kobe Shinwa into Sunday’s championship match against PLDT – the very team that swept them in the preliminaries last Monday.

The victory also marked sweet redemption for the young Japanese, who entered the match determined to prove they could bounce back after that one-sided loss to the powerhouse High Speed Hitters earlier in the week.

Now, they return to the court armed with a new level of confidence and the battle scars of a team that refused to fold.

Chery Tiggo, meanwhile, was left reeling from a defeat that seemed unthinkable after two dominant sets. The Crossovers’ bid for redemption, fueled by a painful finals loss to the High Speed Hitters during the PVL On Tour, was abruptly cut short, and they now shift focus to a bronze medal clash against the Creamline Cool Smashers.

Komatsuda delivered the performance of her tournament so far, erupting for 31 points – smashing past her previous 20-point outings – to power Kobe Shinwa’s incredible comeback over Chery Tiggo. Yasuma added 16 markers, while Ishikawa chipped in 11 points.

Reira Miyazaki and Yuia Yamano also made timely contributions with 10 and eight points, respectively, giving head coach Kiyokazu Yamamoto a balanced offensive arsenal to lean on during the crucial stages.

On the other side, Galang led the Crossovers with 19 points, while Robles scored 18 markers and Imee Hernandez delivered a strong 17-point outing anchored by five blocks. But despite their individual brilliance, the Crossovers faltered when it mattered most – unable to regroup after squandering an early lead in the fourth set, and then completely unraveling in the decider, where they were widely expected to dominate given their experience and finals pedigree.

Kobe Shinwa’s firepower was undeniable. With Komatsuda and Yasuma relentlessly attacking from all angles, the Japanese side outgunned Chery Tiggo, 73-55 in total attacks. While the Crossovers asserted their presence at the net with a dominant 13 blocks – 10 more than their opponents – it ultimately wasn’t enough to contain a team that simply refused to back down.

In the end, it wasn’t just about numbers – it was about grit. Kobe Shinwa’s fiery windup, full of heart and hustle, overwhelmed the stunned Crossovers. And in doing so, the young but determined Japanese squad proved that heart and resilience can rewrite expectations – even against a former league champion.

Staring at the brink of a sweep after trailing two sets and falling behind 21-23 in the third, the Japanese squad refused to fold. Against all odds – the Crossovers’ solid blocking, relentless defense, and even a few bad breaks – Kobe Shinwa dug deep, surviving the pressure and forcing an extension, thanks to late-set heroics from Komatsuda and Yasuma.

With all their challenge opportunities used up, Kobe Shinwa was dealt a tough blow on a critical point. A block touch on Komatsuda went uncalled, and instead of leveling the score, the Japanese fell behind 21-22. Things worsened when Robles capped a gritty rally with a powerful kill, giving Chery Tiggo a two-point cushion.

Still, the visitors wouldn’t back down. Komatsuda responded with a clutch off-the-block hit, and Furuta followed up with a service ace to tie the set. A net touch by Hernandez gave Kobe Shinwa a set point, but Robles kept the sweep hopes alive for Chery Tiggo with another emphatic spike.

But Kobe Shinwa had other plans.

Komatsuda nailed a sharp down-the-line hit to regain set point, and this time, the Japanese held firm. They stifled a Chery Tiggo attack and quickly transitioned, setting up Yasuma for the winner – an off-speed shot that caught the defense off-guard and secured the set, granting the visitors a lifeline.