FILE – The national women’s volleyball team huddles after a training session in Brazil. INQUIRER/June Navarro
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine women’s volleyball team finds itself in group of death with reigning champion China in Pool A when it hosts the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup for Women from August 21 to 29 at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
The Philippines will be facing defending champion China, and other powerhouse squads South Korea, Iran, and Vietnam in the continental meet, which returns after its 2020 edition was canceled by the pandemic.
Japan, the 2018 runner-up, is grouped with Southeast Asia champion Thailand, Kazakhstan, Chinese Taipei, and Australia in Pool B to complete the 10-team field
The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) formed a pool composed of UAAP stars bannered by unbeaten Season 84 champions from National University, led by rookie MVP Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, Ivy Lacsina, and Jennifer Nierva.
“This is a strong tournament and our young players, who we vision as the future of Philippine volleyball, will get the needed exposure against the continent’s best teams,” said PNVF president Suzara, whose federation successfully hosted a Men and Women leg of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) last June at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Just like the VNL, Filipino volleyball fans will again be treated to world-class volleyball action considering that world-ranked teams China, Japan, Iran, South Korea, and Thailand are playing,” he added.
China dominated the tournament, winning five of its six editions in Nakhon Ratchasima 2008, Taicang 2010, Shenzhen 2014, Vinh Phuc 2016, and Nakhon Ratchasima 2018. Thailand won its lone title in Almaty 2012.
The preliminary round is set from August 21 to 25 with the Filipinos facing Vietnam on August 21, taking on reigning titlist China on August 23, Iran on August 24, and South Korea on August 25.
All of the national team’s matches are scheduled on television prime time at 7 p.m.
The knockout quarterfinals are set on August 27 with the semifinals set for August 28 and the qualification matches and final on August 29.
The federation said it will release details on ticket sales and prices soon as the PhilSports Arena hosts its first international event since the 2019 Southeast Asian Games volleyball.