Amigas end SEA Handball stint with fourth loss

UBON RATCHATHANI, Thailand—Playing with all heart and not much else, the Philippines closed out its maiden international campaign with a 57-16 loss to eventual champion Vietnam Sunday in the Southeast Asian Handball Championships at Ubon School Sports arena here.

Though losing all their four games, the Amigas didn’t go home empty handed as they bagged the bronze medal in the tough women’s division that included Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Thailand wound up second in the three-team women’s event of the six-nation tournament where 12 teams saw action. The Philippines, which formed the team just two months ago, only competed in women’s event.

“We came here to learn and we learned,” PH coach Joanna Franquelli told her battle-scarred wards who gamely engaged in rugged, bruising battles against the region’s toughest squads. “We started from scratch. We rolled with the punches and there’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Franquelli, a former PH basketball and fencing standout, said that though they received a painful learning experience, they will eventually get back and be a better team.

“How do we learn how much more we can improve if we don’t compete in tournaments like these,” said Franquelli.

Team members are Aurora Adriano, Michelle Bruzola, Fatima Tolentino, Diane Jose, Mary Angeli Cabochan, Kat Quimpo, Hanna Montalvo, Jo Angeli Carreon, Jo-Anne Villanueva, Marian Resulta, Legiel Ortencio, Luzviminda Pacubas and Jennifer Barandoc