All systems go for the Philippines!
The team representing the Philippines in the AVC Challenge Cup For Women is already in hostile territory, having flown together on Thursday in Indonesia for the annual competition.
The Philippine team—bannered by the Akari Chargers core of Faith Nisperos, Michelle Cobb, Erika Raagas, Bang Pineda, Eli Soyud, and Ezra Madrigal, along Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and Djanel Cheng of the Petro Gazz Angels, Jules Samonte of the PLDT High Speed Hitters, and Shaya Adorador of the Foton Tornadoes—will make its AVC Challenge Cup on Monday, a day after the event’s formal opening. But the Jorge de Brito-helmed squad is hard at work in its preparations and looks primed for action already.
On Saturday, the team’s veterans, Maizo-Pontillas and Cheng, shared through their Instagram Stories some behind-the-scenes snaps of the Philippine team getting ready for action, first with a group workout.
Maizo-Pontillas, also shared what appears to be an ocular inspection of the playing venue—the Tridharma Sports Hall in Gresik, East Java, Indonesia—with personnel giving it some last-minute preparations.
The AVC Challenge Cup starts today, June 18, but the Philippines will play its first game versus Macau on Monday, June 19. The competition features 11 nations, with Macau and Indonesia joining the Philippines in pool A. Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, and Iran make up pool B, while India and Australia are grouped together in pool C. Finally, pool D is comprised of Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Mongolia.
(GM)