Thailand, Japan face PH women in friendlies

The country’s national women’s volleyball team will get a taste of world-class volleyball when it faces two squads that will be competing in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL).

One of those teams, Thailand, arrived Tuesday afternoon and has already began preparing for the country-hopping global tournament. The Philippine women’s team will battle Thailand on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation International Challenge at Filoil Flying V Centre.

In the friendly match, the Thais, who have lorded over the Southeast Asian Games, will tinker with much needed adjustments due to the absence of middle blocker Thatdao Nuekjang, who suffered an injury during their Week 1 match against Belgium in Ankara, Turkey.

Thailand currently holds a 3-1 record for eight points in the VNL standings.

The Philippines will also play Japan at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The Thais will face Canada on Tuesday in the VNL at Smart Araneta Coliseum while Japan battles Poland in another match on that day. Tickets to the June 14 to 19 women’s leg at the Big Dome are available at ticketnet.com.ph.

For those who cannot watch live but are Smart subscribers, the games will also be streamed via Smart’s GigaPlay app starting June 14. Subscribers must simply download the app, set up an account and connect using Smart mobile data or PLDT Home WiFi.

The app will also carry the exhibition matches of the Philippine women’s and men’s teams.