The Philippine women's national volleyball team comes home.
The Philippine women's national volleyball team returned to the country after holding its training camp in Japan. But Alyssa Valdez couldn't resist leaving the Land of the Rising Sun without some good ol' fashioned ramen.
Sort of.
Ate Ly wasn't even able to find time for an authentic ramen experience as the team faced tune-up game after tune-up game in Himeji.
First, they suffered a harsh welcome against the Himeji Victorina Club, 25-21, 19-25, 25-13, 25-22.
But the Filipinas managed to get going with a four-set victory against Ashiya University, 21-17, 21-17, 21-25, 21-18.
They continued to find confidence facing squads from the university circuit, as the Philippines defeated Sonada Women's University in another tune-up, 25-21, 25-21, 25-22, 25-17, 13-15.
The marathon continued, forcing Mukogawa Women's University to a draw, 25-19, 25-22, 23-25, 23-25.
The Philippine women's national volleyball team found its most promising opponent yet last Thursday, getting the advantage against Japan's top varsity team Kobe Shinwa University, 25-15, 25-23, 22-25, 25-9, 15-13.
Kobe Shinwa was also supposed to participate in the 2022 PVL Invitational Conference, but only Taiwan's KingWhale Taipei ended up competing as a guest team.
And it looks like chemistry is brewing just fine between the national spikers, even beyond the core of All-Filipino champions Creamline Cool Smashers, based on this post by Choco Mucho Flying Titan Kat Tolentino.
The Philippines has been drawn in Group B along with 2021 silver medalist Vietnam, host Cambodia, and Singapore. The country will be looking for a top two finish in the group and improve its fourth place finish in the past three editions of the SEA Games.