National team committee chief Tonyboy Liao warns the Philippine national team of complacency when it clashes against Macau to open its campaign in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Challenge Cup for Women on Monday, 19 June, at the Tridharma Sports Hall in Gresik, Indonesia.
Although confident of the Filipinas’ skills and talents compared to Macau, Liao reminds the team not to take their opponents lightly when they cross paths at 3 p.m. (Manila time).
An opening-day victory in the Pool A match will assure the Nationals a spot in the quarterfinals — the modest goal set by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation on the squad formed less than two weeks before the competition.
“Yes, we for sure have the upper hand but the only drawback is the team we sent was only formed 10 days ago and didn’t have enough training together as a whole team,” Liao told Daily Tribune yesterday.
‘I think they trained in Philsports completely as a team for four days only before they left last 15 June.’
Brazilian head coach Jorge Souza de Brito will have a tough task steering a team that is still working on its chemistry and cohesiveness.
Only libero Bang Pineda, who plays for De Brito in Akari in the Premier Volleyball League, is left of the national team that saw action in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia last month.
The majority of the SEA Games squad begged off from another tour of duty to rest and prepare with their respective clubs for the PVL Invitational Conference opening on 27 June.
Joining Pineda are her Chargers teammates Faith Nisperos, Eli Soyud, Erika Raagas, Michelle Cobb and Ezra Madrigal.
Also tapped to reinforce the Nationals are Petro Gazz veteran Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and setter Djanel Cheng, Shaya Adorador of Foton, PLDT’s Jules Samonte and collegiate players AC Miner and Roma Mae Doromal of Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the East duo of Lia Pelaga and Riza Nogales.
“I think they trained in Philsports completely as a team for four days only before they left last 15 June,” Liao said.
The Philippines battles Southeast Asian powerhouse and host Indonesia, which whacked Macau, 25-7, 25-18, 25-8, on Tuesday at 8 p.m. to close its preliminary round assignment.
Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei and Iran are in Pool B, India and Australia are bracketed in Pool C while Pool D is composed of Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Mongolia.
The top two teams in each pool will advance to the quarterfinals where they will play the two squads from the other pool. The semifinal and final are both knockout games.
