Pride and momentum up in Philippines-Indonesia Volley

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.

Gohing, Gumabao to boost Creamline's 'superteam' in PVL

MANILA, Philippines – Melissa Gohing and Michele Gumabao have joined forces with Alyssa Valdez, Jia Morado and Risa Sato to form Creamline’s “super team” in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference tentatively set on April 1.

Gohing amicably parted ways with Pocari Sweat, a team she played for five years and helped win three PVL championships, after her contract expired at the end of last year while Gumabao will jump from a Cocolife squad that wound up a surprise fourth in the Phl Superliga Grand Prix a year back.

Interestingly, Gohing and Gumabao are former teammates at La Salle in the UAAP Pocari for four years before the latter made the jump last season.

Now they’re back playing side by side again for a different team.

Gohing and Gumabao were just two of the three blue chip acquisitions by the Cool Smashers after plucking Sato from reigning Open Conference champion Bali Pure.

The three, along with Valdez, a four-time PVL MVP, reigning best setter Morado, and seasoned Rose Vargas, Pau Soriano and Cesca Racraquin, will form a stacked Tai Bundit-mentored Creamline squad that has emerged as the early title favorites with the PVL season still a couple of months away.

The recruiting coup was part of Creamline’s plan of snaring its very first title after finishing third place twice in last year’s Reinforced and Open Conferences.

Valdez has also committed to play the whole year for Creamline after missing several games a year ago.

Valdez played as an import for 3BB in Thailand and Attackline in Chinese Taipei while also committing most of her time for the national team that participated in the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Adamson, NU try to clinch PVL semis spots

ABS-CBN News

Posted at Sep 25 2017 06:39 AM

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The NU Lady Bulldogs try to secure a Final 4 spot. Arvin Lim, ABS-CBN Sports

MANILA, Philippines – Unbeaten teams National University (NU) and Adamson University are brimming with confidence heading into crucial showdowns against separate opponents in the 2017 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Collegiate Conference on Monday at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

NU takes on Jose Rizal University (JRU), while Adamson faces off against De La Salle-College of St. Benilde (CSB), with a victory assuring both squads of a spot in the Final 4.

The Lady Bulldogs (3-0) collide with the Lady Bombers at 4 p.m., seeking their fourth straight win and the first semis spot in Group A.

The Lady Falcons (3-0) then hope to match that 4-0 mark as they go up against the Lady Blazers at 6:30 p.m. in Group B.

JRU and CSB are both out of the running for semis spots with 0-3 records, although they are expected to go all out in search of their first win and thus play a spoiler role.

A victory for NU will also give them great momentum heading into a highly anticipated clash against Ateneo de Manila University (3-1) on Saturday.

"My only wish is that no player gets injured and they don't overdo things. They just have to stick to the system we're trying to do. Even with slow increments of improvement, I'll be happy," said NU coach Babes Castillo, who will again pin his hopes on Jaja Santiago, Aiko Urdas and Jasmine Nabor.

Meanwhile, senior high player Princess Robles, who sustained a left ankle sprain on a bad fall after a block in the third set of the Lady Bulldogs' four-set victory over San Sebastian College two weeks ago, is expected to suit up in their last elims assignment against Ateneo.

The Jema Galanza-led Lady Falcons are also on a roll, shocking the University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons in five sets, then beating Arellano University and Technological Institute of the Philippines to move closer to a dream semis stint.

The top two teams after the single round will advance to the crossover semifinals with the winners disputing the crown in another best-of-three affair.

In men's play, second-running Far Eastern University (4-1) goes for its fifth straight triumph when it clashes with UP (1-4 at seventh) at 8 a.m.

Lowly teams San Beda College (1-3 at sixth) and CSB (0-4 at eighth) mix it up in the other match at 10 a.m.

For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.