FILE–Philippine men’s volleyball coach Sergio Veloso during the country’s first game in the 32nd SEA Games. –CAMBODIA 2023
MANILA, Philippines — After a winless first leg stint, the Philippine men’s volleyball team eyes a better finish in its hosting of the second leg of the inaugural Southeast Asia (SEA) Volleyball League against Thailand on Friday at Santa Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex in Laguna.
National team coach Sergio Veloso is elated about their second campaign in the regional tournament as it marks the return of Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo, who are playing for the first time since last year’s SEA Games in Hanoi Vietnam.
“They’re experienced players. They’re smart. They can share their experiences with others,” said national men’s team head coach Sergio Veloso as his wards brace for their SEA neighbors anew. “We can make a stronger job. I feel we can play better now.”
The pair of Espejo and Bagunas, who led the Philippines to a historic silver medal in the 2019 SEA Games, will be teaming up with rising Filipino-American star Steven Rotter, the Best Opposite Spiker of the first leg in Jakarta last week.
The Philippines battles the first leg runner-up Thailand on Friday at 7 p.m. after the first match between champion Indonesia, which swept all three games last week, and bronze medalist Vietnam at 4 p.m.
FILE – Bryan Bagunas for Oita Miyoshi. Photo from Bryan Bagunas’ Facebook
Bagunas is returning to the national team after skipping the SEA Games in Cambodia due to his wedding and missing the action in the AVC Challenge Cup for Men and the first leg.
Completing the nationals are Jau Umandal, Vince Mangulabnan, Vince Lorenzo, Ryan Ka, Kim Malabunga, Adrian Villados, Edward Camposano, Rex Intal, Lloyd Josafat, Manuel Sumanguid, Chu Njigha, and Vince Lorenzo.
The Filipino Spikers lost all their three games in Jakarta as they blew a 2-0 lead and suffered a five-set meltdown to Vietnam in the battle for bronze last Sunday.
“It’s a competition so our target is victory,” said Brazilian coach Veloso as they battle Indonesia on Saturday and Vietnam on Sunday in Laguna.
Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Tats Suzara, who founded the SEA VLeague with Thailand Federation president Shanrit Wongprasert, is thrilled to host the regional men’s tournament after the successful staging of the Volleyball Nations League Men’s Week 3 at Mall of Asia Arena for the second straight year.
“Men’s volleyball is getting popular and we’re very happy to have our close neighbors with us here. We hope to expand next year with more countries,” said Suzara in the event presser Thursday at the Seda Nuvali.
“This tournament is very important for Southeast Asia as we, the Philippines along with Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia are bidding to host the 2025 Volleyball Women’s World Championship,” he added.
The SEA VLeague women’s division will be held on August 4 to 6 in Vihn Phuc, Vietnam, and from August 11 to 13 in Chiangmai, Thailand.