By: Nelson Beltran (The Philippine Star)
JAKARTA – Alyssa Valdez said it’s a fight for pride more than anything else as SEA Games rivals the Philippines and Indonesia face off tonight in the penultimate playdate of the 18th Asian Games women’s volleyball competition group play at the GBK Tennis Indoor court here.
It’s a virtual non-bearing game since both have booked spots in the quarterfinals with no way of bumping off Thailand and Japan on top places in Pool A.
But the two teams are expected to figure in a fierce battle in their 7 p.m. (8 p.m. in Manila) match to build some momentum going to the knockout quarterfinals.
And as Valdez insists, it’s for pride.
“Even if we’re assured of the quarterfinals, we would feel good pulling off another win, especially against our longtime rival,” said Valdez.
“Our campaign here would be better if we beat Indonesia. It’s a showdown of SEA Games rivals,” said national coach Shaq delos Santos.
After all, the main purpose of Team Phl’s presence here is to size up neighbors Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam and prepare for the SEA Games in Manila next year.
The Thais, the Indonesians and the Vietnamese finished first, second and third, in that order, in the last SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.
“They won the silver coming from another bracket. But seeing their games, I do think we have the better skills,” said Delos Santos, confident of their chance against the Indonesian team built around sisters Amansya Angraini and Aprilia Santini Mangarang.
“We’ll break down the game of the Mangarang sisters. We will work hard to stop them,” said Delos Santos.
Valdez and her teammates are in high spirits following their 25-18, 25-21, 25-22 drubbing of Hong Kong Thursday – the Philippines’ first win in Asiad volleyball in 36 years.
“We’re very happy because it’s a historic win. We sacrificed a lot of things to be here, so we might as well do our best to produce the best result we could get here,” said Valdez, among the lead guns of Team Phl here along with Santiago sisters Jaja and Dindin Manabat, Mika Reyes, Aby Maraño, Mylene Paat and Kianna Kim Dy.
Curiously, the Indonesians took four sets to top Hong Kong, 21-25, 25-13, 25-18, 25-14, last Wednesday.
After the decline of the Philippines in SEAG, Indonesia and Vietnam rose as Thailand’s toughest challengers. The Vietnamese were second placers in eight of the last SEAG while the Indonesians collected a silver and five bronze medals in the last six editions of the biennial meet.
The Philippines has never had a podium finish since salvaging a bronze in Manila in 2005.
