Lourdes Clemente / Images by. https://volleyverse.com A big challenge awaits F2 Logistics when it competes in the annual Sealect Tuna Thailand Volleyball Championship starting Wednesday at the Weesommai Gymnasium in Sisaket, Thailand.

Bannered by national team captain Aby Marano, the Cargo Movers are tipped to go all out in a bid to match — or even surpass — the bronze-medal finish registered by the Philippine Superliga (PSL) All-Star team last year.

The feat was quite special as it marked the first time for Filipino volleyball players to emerge with a podium finish in an international competition since winning the bronze medal in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in 2005.

Prior to the PSL All-Star team, it was Foton that represented the country as part of its buildup for the AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship in 2016.

The Tornadoes, who paraded imports Lindsay Stalzer and Ariel Usher, finished sixth with home team PEA Sisaket emerging as champion.

F2 Logistics’ team manager Hollie Reyes admitted that the competition will be tough, but they are serious in matching the previous achievement of Filipino spikers.

“This is a tough competition, but we’ll try our best to retain our bronze medal,” said Reyes, adding that the battle would also be a good exposure for national team members like Marano, Cha Cruz, Kianna Dy, Dawn Macandili, Kim Fajardo and Majoy Baron as well as young guns Aduke Ogunsanya, Michelle Cobb, Tin Tiamzon, Desiree Cheng, Ara Galang and Lourdes Clemente.

“We will be facing the national teams of Thailand, Fiji, Australia and Vietnam. So it’s really going to be a big exposure to our players, especially to the six members of our national team.”

The Cargo Movers landed on Pool B with Khonkaen VC Star and the Australian national team while Pool A is composed of the Fiji national team, VTV Bien Long An of Vietnam and PEA Sisaket, which will be headlined by seasoned international campaigner Pleumjit Thinkaow.