Foton coach on facing Japan: ‘We have to play above our level’

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

BINAN CITY — The prospects are dim for Foton Pilipinas as it faces NEC-Japan Tuesday in the second round of preliminaries in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Women’s Club Championships.

With explosive import Lindsay Stalzer a doubtful starter, the Tornadoes will run into an unbeaten Japanese club in a match Foton Pilipinas coach Fabio Menta likened to “going to a university.”

After suffering a monumental collapse in losing to Thongtin Lien Viet Post Bank (25-18, 19-25, 20-25, 25-12, 15-8), Foton Pilipinas was relegated to the second qualifier from Group A which will meet the top Group C qualifier.

That happened to be Japan, which disposed of Altay AV of Kazakhstan, 25-16, 25-17, 25-19, Monday.

“We will have to play above our level,” said Menta. “We know that Japan is gonna be like going to University. We are the students and they are teachers.”