Alas up against giants

Volleybelles out to defy odds

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas makes its initial foray in the FIVB Challenger Cup that the country is hosting July 4-7 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, hoping to sustain gains from a previous international gig and stand its ground against mighty forces slugging it out in the tough eight-nation competition.

It’s a four-day knockout grind with Challenger Cup debutant Team Philippines taking old rival Vietnam at 6:30 p.m. on Friday before an expected sellout crowd.

“It’s tough on Day 1 for Alas Pilipinas, but we’re very sure they’ll give the Vietnamese a tough fight,” said Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Ramon Suzara, hopeful on what the Philippine belles can put up coming from a breakthrough bronze-medal showing in the AVC Challenge Cup.

But the FIVB Challenger Cup is an event notches higher than the AVC Challenge Cup, with no less than a slot in the 2025 Volleyball Nations League at stake.

European powers Sweden, Czech Republic and Belgium, African titan Kenya and American giants Argentina and Puerto Rico are all going for that VNL spot in this Manila meet.

To fly the home flag are skipper Jia de Guzman, Angel Canino, Fifi Sharma, Thea Gagate, Sisi Rondina, Eya Laure, Faith Nisperos, Vanie Gandler, Dawn Macandili-Catindig, Julia Coronel, Jen Nierva, Dell Palomata, Cherry Nunag, Arah Panique and new additions Jema Galanza, Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon under Brazilian coach Jorge Souza de Brito.

Other pairings in the initial round pits Belgium versus Sweden and Puerto Rico opposite Kenya on Thursday then Czech Republic against Argentina to precede the Philippines-Vietnam clash the next day.

If De Guzman and her teammates survive the Vietnamese, the home team tangles with the winners between the Czechs and the Argentines in the semifinals on Saturday.

It’s a cutthroat competition for that one golden ticket to the VNL.

Vietnam qualified in the event as the 2024 Asian Challenge Cup champion.