Alas Pilipinas will return home with something to cheer about and learnings to carry over to the next.
The Philippines made the match pretty easy in the first two sets before shaking off Hong Kong’s third-set scare to come up with a 25-21, 25-9, 30-28 win for a ninth-place finish in the Asian Games women’s volleyball on Tuesday night at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium in Japan.
Powered by Bella Belen and Angel Canino, the Nationals finished the competition on a three-game win streak in the classification round as they also defeated both Qatar and Mongolia in straight sets.
Ending on a high note made up for their missed chance at the quarterfinals.
They went 0-2 in the group stage following defeats to Kazakhstan and eventual champion China, which extended its dynasty by winning the Asiad for the third consecutive time.
“Hindi man tayo pinalad I believe maganda pa rin yung pinakita ng team despite not entering the quarterfinals. We’re getting there, not bad yung ninth place pero siyempre kailangan pa rin mas mataas yung goal for the next leagues,” Belen said after leading Alas Women with 18 points including her back-to-back hits that sealed the deal.
“Ang dami naming napulot and lalo na sa aming mga bata alam namin na mayroon pang kailangan itaas yung level of playing namin and I believe ang laking tulong ng mga ganitong competition para siguro mas makita namin kung ano pa yung kulang sa team namin,” added the 24-year-old outside hitter, who also had nine digs in the win.
For Angel Canino, who chipped in 17 markers plus 11 digs, playing against the continent’s best gave them the exposure they needed marching toward their next missions.
“Hindi lang naman titigil sa Asian Games yung nangyari ngayon, so hopefully tuloy tuloy pagbalik namin ng Pilipinas,” she said. “Yung mga napapanood lang namin dati nandito rin sa Asian Games so grateful kami, ako rin lalo sa experience na ito.”
Belen and other PVL players, including Eya Laure, Jia De Guzman, Dell Palomata, Thea Gagate, Mars Alba, and Justine Jazareno, will go back to their respective club teams in time for the Premier Volleyball League’s 10th season opening on October 10.
Meanwhile, Canino, Amie Provido, and Shaina Nitura will rejoin their college teams as they prepare for the UAAP Season 89 next year.
Alyssa Solomon and Nina Ytang, for their part, are still exploring their options whether in the Philippines or abroad, after withdrawing from the PVL Draft last June.
Head coach Taka Minowa has seen how the program has grown since he stepped in, and he remains optimistic about its future.
“We became a better team. We see what we need to improve and what we are capable of right now,” said the Japanese mentor, who is set to fly to the United States, where he will serve as a volunteer assistant coach for his wife Jaja’s team San Francisco Signal in League One Volleyball.
“We can be a top-five Asian team in the future.”
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