By Adrian Stewart Co

Nakhon Ratchasima suffered a 25-11, 25-21, 25-17 defeat to Supreme Chonburi at the close of the 2021-22 Volleyball Thailand League eliminations at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Nakhon Ratchasima, which was reinforced by Filipinas Dindin Santiago-Manabat and Mylene Paat, did not have answers to Chonburi’s dominance to fall to 6-6.

Santiago-Manabat, a mainstay of reigning Premier Volleyball League champions Chery Tiggo, was the lone bright spot for Nakhon Ratchasima with 15 points.

Local volleybelles Karina Krause and Chitaporn Kamlangmak backed up Santiago-Manabat in scoring for Supreme Chonburi with six points apiece.

Paat, on the other hand, had another subpar showing as she was held to just two points before being benched by the Nakhon Ratchasima in the last two sets.

Kannika Thipachot topscored with 14 points, while 38-year-old veteran Pleumjit Thinkaow added 13 points, including four blocks, for the Supreme Chonburi.

Sutadta Chuewulim also hit double figures for Supreme Chonburi with 10 points, while Malika Kanthong and Watchareeya Nuanjam added seven points apiece.

Despite the straight set defeat to close out the double round eliminations, Nakhon Ratchasima still clinched a seat in the Final Four as the third seed team.

Nakhon Ratchasima will battle it out in the Final Four with the top-seed Supreme Chonburi, second seed Diamond Food, and fourth-ranked Khonkaen Star.

Santiago-Manabat, Paat and Nakhon, however, don’t have the numbers against the fellow Final Four team, going 0-of-6 in their regular round encounters./ASC, WDJ