Filipino volleybelles unfazed vs mighty Chinese

JAKARTA – In progressing to the quarterfinals, the Philippine volley- belles get to play three more games in the 18th Asian Games, starting against seven-time champion China tonight at the GBK Tennis Indoor court here.

Alyssa Valdez and her teammates are ranged against the Great Wall of Asian volleyball, a team that has not yielded a set and has not surrendered more than 21 points in a set in their dominant ride in the Jakarta Games.

In contrast, the Philippines barely made the quarterfinals with a win against East Asian minnow Hong Kong.

Coach Shaq delos Santos and his squad, however, are eager to come out and put up the toughest challenge they can wage and absorb everything they can learn from their fancied rivals.

As foremost, the Phl volleyball team has the Southeast Asian Games in Manila next year in mind.

They’re pitted against the Pool B top finisher in the 7 p.m. (8 p.m. in Manila) match, being the No. 4 quarterfinals qualifier from Pool A behind Thailand, Japan and Indonesia.

Thailand clashes with Vietnam, South Korea collides with Indonesia and Japan slugs it out with Kazakhstan in the other quarterfinal matches.

Ranged against a team so powerful on the net with its giant spikers and efficient on the floor with its cat-quick receivers and defenders, the Filipinas remain unfazed and promise to come out and fight.

“We worked to get a place in the quarterfinals and so we’ll be there doing the best we can,” said Delos Santos, vowing they would fight for every point.

The Chinese have been an unforgiving side in the tournament, clobbering Vietnam, 25-11, 25-15, 25-13; smothering Chinese Taipei, 25-10, 25-14, 25-14; spanking South Korea, 25-21, 25-16, 25-16; thrashing Kazakhstan, 25-14, 25-15, 25-11; and toying with India, 25-18, 25-19, 25-9.

The Philippines absorbed shutout losses to Thailand and Japan before pulling off a pivotal 25-18, 25-21, 25-22 win over Hong Kong, then dropping a four-setter versus the home team, 20-25, 20-25, 26-24, 22-25.