The long run appears to be like shiny for Alas Pilipinas. —AVC PHOTO
Jia De Guzman mentioned it greatest.
If you wish to know the form of mindset Alas Pilipinas brings into each recreation day within the 2025 Asian Volleyball Confederation Girls’s Volleyball Nations Cup, discuss to the nationwide workforce captain.
After a character-testing five-set victory over Chinese language Taipei within the semifinals late Friday night, De Guzman mentioned the workforce had already shifted its concentrate on the championship match towards host Vietnam at Dong Anh Area.
“[After] our win yesterday towards Kazakhstan, the second we went to the dugout, we knew that in the present day was additionally going to be a tough recreation,” the quick-thinking playmaker mentioned.
If that sounded acquainted, it’s as a result of that’s the identical factor De Guzman mentioned earlier than hammering out the upset towards Kazakhstan.
“Actually, proper after [the] recreation [against New Zealand], the second we bought into the dugout, our minds had been already targeted on Kazakhstan. We knew in the present day can be a tricky match, and we needed to give our easiest to win,” she mentioned.
No matter how the title battle seems, it’s clear that the nationwide squad may be very a lot targeted on what occurs subsequent, refusing to be slowed down by defeats or overstay within the euphoria of an enormous win.
And no matter what occurs subsequent, the workforce is assured of climbing a number of rungs up the world rating.
From No. 56 earlier than the Nations Cup, the Philippines climbed to forty sixth within the FIVB rankings after that morale-strengthening 25-17, 25-21, 18-25, 15-25, 15-12 escape over the Taiwanese.
The nationwide squad was taking part in powerhouse Vietnam at press time.
Already, Alas Pilipinas went one higher than final 12 months’s history-making squad.
“Final 12 months, our greatest introduced us to the bronze, and this time, it’s [brought] us to [greater] heights,” she mentioned.
“This system is working,” Ramon “Tats” Suzara, the president of the Philippine Nationwide Volleyball Federation, mentioned.
Getting examined
One of the best proof of that program working is that veterans like De Guzman don’t have to shoulder big tasks anymore. The younger core, this system’s long-term basis, has been nothing wanting spectacular within the match.
Towards the Taiwanese, three-time UAAP MVP Bella Belen completed with 14 factors, 19 receptions and 16 digs for the Philippines, which was trying to finish a 64-year gold medal in a continental-level match.
“I’m actually comfortable as a result of we had been in a position to win this recreation, not only for us however for the Philippines,” Belen mentioned. “No phrases can clarify how a lot we wished this recreation.”
“We knew that semifinals are at all times exhausting and so they [Taiwanese] gave us a tough night time,” nationwide workforce coach Jorge Souza de Brito mentioned. “However we additionally knew that we simply have as soon as probability to get to the ultimate so I’m proud and really grateful for the women.”
And the children are getting examined in a manner that may solely make them stronger sooner or later.
“Being up two units, dropping two units, then coming again within the fifth set, that’s actually exhausting to do towards a workforce like Chinese language Taipei,” De Guzman mentioned. —WITH A REPORT FROM LANCE AGCAOILI
