Photo from AVC
Philippine star Kalei Mau believes the national team program is on the right track following Team Choco Mucho’s sixth-place finish in the 2021 Asian Volleyball Confederation Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship in Rakhon Natchasima in Thailand.
“I think the future of the Philippine volleyball program is going to be very bright as long as we continue to bring up each other and build on the program,” said Mau. “The younger girls showed really, really great performances and if we just keep on building up on a core, I think we can get better.”
Team Choco Mucho lost to Central Asian powerhouse Zhetysu, winner of nine Kazakh national titles, in three sets, 25-14, 25-11, 25-23, in the fifth place classification match, settling for sixth place in the tournament.The Filipinos did put up a last-ditch fight in the third set, coming back from a 22-15 deficit and tying the set at 23-all.
“There’s no other way but up from here,” said Mau.
Ramon “Tats” Suzara, president of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation, also praised the Philippines’ run in the continental tiff as he noted that the program is still in its early stages.
The Philippines sent two teams in the tournament, Team Rebisco and Team Choco Mucho, which were made up of players from the national pool.
Team Rebisco, comprised mostly of international debutantes, lost all its matches and finished seventh out of seven teams in the tournament.
“Well done for the national team program that’s still in its infant stage,” said Suzara.