Members of the women’s volleyball team head back to the bench after the loss to Indonesia. —MARC ANTHONY REYES
MANILA, Philippines— Attacked left and right by internet trolls, injuries and scheduling problems, Team Philippines assured the hometown crowd it will be firing from all cylinders in the second leg of the Asean Volleyball Grand Prix this weekend.
National head coach Shaq delos Santos said the team lineup that will be fielded for the Asean only got to practice Wednesday, the same day teams from Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia arrived in the country.
But the Petron mentor, whose cool, easy-going demeanour got tested by cyber critics endemic to volleyball, said they are not worried because what they’ve got is a “big fighting heart.”
“We have the crowd behind us and we will go all out no matter what,” Delos Santos told the Inquirer.
Admission is free in the Oct. 4-6 meet at Sta. Rosa Sports Center, which will also serve as dry run for the coming Southeast Asian Games that country is hosting in November.
Technical aspects including officiating down to crowd control will be put to the test as the Philippines hopes to match, if not improve, its third-place finish in the first leg in Thailand.
Team captain Aby Marano said the team has been practicing since it came back from Nakhon Ratchasima although Alyssa Valdez, Jasmine Nabor and Grethcel Soltones will be joining for the first time this meet.
“We saw our potential in Thailand because after only a few days in training camp in Bangkok and the Asean competition, we have developed familiarity which is what need the most,” said Aby Marano.
Out of the lineup are tall front-liners Kalei Mau, who is nursing an injury, and Alohi Robins-Hardy, who has yet to obtain her Filipino passport which is main requirement to play in the SEA Games.
Valdez and fellow Premier Volleyball League players Jia Morado and Maddie Madayag will miss Saturday’s games due to an out-of-town match.
The team, easily the most followed aside from Gilas Pilipinas, is hoping to at least win bronze in the coming SEA Games slated Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.
Although the Filipinas are flying to Japan for more training this month, the Laguna meet will be the last time we play in a competition as a team before the biennial meet.