REBISCO-Philippines gave Iran’s Sirjan Foulad fits in the second set before receiving a reality check in the third set in a 15-25, 22-25, 5-25 defeat to open its Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship campaign yesterday at Terminal 21 competition hall in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Still, national coach Dante Alinsunurin was grateful for the opportunity to go up against the reigning Iranian Men’s Volleyball Super League champions and learn from their system.

“It’s a really great opportunity for us to finally get back to competing internationally after almost two years. It’s a tremendous experience for us, as well, that we got to face a high-level Asian team like Iran,” Alinsunurin said.

Unlike Sirjan Foulad, where it played 33 matches during its successful 2020-21 domestic club competition run, Rebisco, which composed the core of the squad that won the silver medal in the 30th Southeast Asian Games, is playing for the first time since 2019.

Back-to-back kills by Jao Umandal allowed the Filipinos to move to within 22-23 in the second set, before the Iranians averted disaster by clinching the set’s final two points to gain a 2-0 advantage.

Sirjan Foulad then held its foes to a single attack in the third set, as Rebisco got the rest of its points through opponent’s errors.

Umandal and Mark Alfafara each had seven points, Nico Almendras, who provided the Filipinos’ lone attack point in the third set, contributed six, while Rex Intal had two blocks of his five points from blocks.

Rebisco seeks a better performance today as it faces Uzbekistan’s AGMK in the resumption of Pool B action at 11 a.m. (Manila time).

Umandal was also high-praises for the Iranian squad that parades a lineup of Olympic athletes and veteran stars.

“We really struggled but I am still glad of how we fought and tried to bring the best out of each other. The Iranian team was on a different level, but I am confident with my team and all the preparations we did to get here,” said Umandal.

“We didn’t take the win but we are still grateful for the chance to compete against them,” he added.

To make it to the semifinals, Rebisco needs to finish in top two in its pool.

Mohamad Sadeghi scored nine points before sitting out the third set while Ramin Khani also had nine, including three blocks, for Sirjan Foulad.

Saber Kazemi, the newly-minted Asian Senior Men’s Volleyball Championship MVP, was not fielded in as he was still recovering from a nose injury the Iranian opposite spiker suffered against China in the semifinals last month, but Sirjan Foulad has too much firepower.