MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine women’s volleyball team is facing a tough competitor tonight, May 10 against Vietnam in their bid for the long-awaited podium place in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
Alyssa Valdez will headline the squad who are looking to continue winnings after defeating neophyte Cambodian team in straight sets, 25-5, 25-5, 25-5 on Tuesday, May 9.
On Wednesday at 6PM, Philippines take on Vietnam, the second-placed finishers in the past 10 of 11 Games.
 |
| Team Philippines is composed of core of Creamline Cool Smashers club team. Photo Credit: PVL via One Sports |
“We’re always aiming to give honour and pride to our country not just by representing it, so I hope we can bring home a medal,” Valdez said in an interview with Inquirer.
Ending the 18-year drought since the country last won a medal, bronze in Manila Games in 2005, is the plan.
“I’m just really thankful for the trust of the coaches. It feels really different when you play for the country,” said Valdez. “With that trust, we will give our all for a good fight for this SEA Games.”
UPDATE: Vietnam defeated Philippines in straight sets, 25-20, 25-17, 25-19.
The Philippine team spent two weeks training together in Osaka, Japan in an effort to break that barrier, under the stewardship of Brazil’s head coach Jorge Souza de Brito.
In Group A, the defending champion Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar and Malaysia will also battle in round-robin.
NOTE: The top two of each group will play in the semifinal round. The winners of the semifinal round will play for the gold medal and the losers will play for the bronze medal.
Schedule: When to watch Philippine volleyball team at SEA Games 2023
- May 10, 6:00 pm: Philippines vs Vietnam
- May 11, 6:00 pm: Philippines vs Singapore
SEA Games 2023 volleyball preliminary results, Tuesday, May 9
Group A
Malaysia beat Myanmar 3-0 – 25-14, 25-16, 25-13
Thailand beat Indonesia 3-0 – 25-16, 25-16, 25-16
Group B
Vietnam beat Singapore 3-0 – 25-13, 25-8, 25-7
Philippines beat Cambodia 3-0 – 25-3, 25-5, 25-5
The ranking rounds of the competition will start on May 13.
How to watch Philippine volleyball matches at SEA Games 2023 live?
Catch the coverage of 32nd SEA Games on One Sports and One Sports+.
You may also watch the most anticipated games live via official broadcaster, Smart LiveStream App from from May 5 to 17.
The Smart LiveStream App is downloadable on the App Store and the Google Play Store, and subscribers will only need to enter a valid Smart Prepaid or Postpaid mobile number to enjoy the service. Upon registration, users will promptly receive an OTP code via SMS, which can be used to start enjoying the features of Smart LiveStream App on their smartphones.
The livestream feed of the game will be posted here once available.
— The Summit Express