Alas Pilipinas fights for dear life

Alas Pilipinas fights for survival in a crucial Pool B meeting with dangerous New Zealand in the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup today at the Dong Anh District Center for Culture, Information and Sports in Hanoi, Vietnam.

After a promising two-game romp to start the tournament, the Filipinas are suddenly thrown in a precarious position following a sorry five-set loss to Iran last Monday.

Sporting a 2-1 win-loss record behind the unbeaten Iranians and Kazakhstan, Alas must sweep its last two pool play games, starting with the 3 p.m. showdown with the Kiwis, to clinch a semifinal seat.

The bronze medalists of last year’s Manila edition were just two points away from beating the Iranians in a tight fifth set but faltered in the end to yield the match, 25-16, 21-25, 26-24, 23-25, 13-15.

Alas will need to take down an also-ran New Zealand side playing without pressure and just looking to play spoiler and beat the Kazakhs on Thursday to finish in the Top Two and secure a ticket to the next round.

Although pulling off a sweep is easier said than done, Alas head coach Jorge De Brito remains confident of his team’s chances.

“The mindset is still the same, it’s always fight hard because the result will come if you keep on playing hard,” he said.

The top two teams in each pool will collide in the knockout crossover semis set on Friday.

“We’re going to improve, and we still have a chance. So, we will fight for this and be ready for New Zealand and Kazakhstan,” a defiant De Brito said.

Alas will again bank on reigning tournament Best Setter Jia de Guzman, last year’s Best Opposite Spiker Angel Canino, Eya Laure, top libero Dawn Catindig and young guns Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon and Shaina Nitura.

New Zealand is coming off a breakthrough, 25-22, 25-20, 10-25, 20-25, 15-13 victory over Mongolia on Monday to arrest a two-game slide.