Asian U23 volley: China now respects PH, says Gorayeb

Alyssa Valdez looks on at the China squad.

In the game of shark and minnows, it looks like the the minnows finally earned the respect of the shark.

Roger Gorayeb saw his team stun the powerful China in the first set of their quarterfinals match in the Asian U23 Women’s Volleyball Championship.

READ: China takes PH lightly in first set but recovers to get semis spot in Asian U23

Yet as fate would have it, China made sure that it stays on the top of the food chain.

“The respect is there, now China respects us,” Gorayeb said after their defeat on Philsports Arena Thursday evening.

“On the bright side ‘you can’t take us lightly.”

Chinese head coach Xu Jiande said they did not prepare for a team like the Philippines, even fielding backups in the first set.

“Before, we’re thinking that we’re the stronger team than the Philippines and we relied on the players’ experience,” Xu said.

For Gorayeb, China will never “underestimate” the Philippines now.

For team captain Alyssa Valdez, it wasn’t only getting the respect of China, it was looking up to an opponent.

Chinese team captain Liu Yanhan put the Philippines in her mercy, but for Valdez she’s one player she looked up to.

“As a player, she’s someone to look up to,” Valdez said.

She added that Chinese have that reputation because of their character.

“Their fighting spirit is immense and they have that killer instinct,” Valdez said.