Espejo set for Taiwan action

BANGKOK, Thailand — Alas Pilipinas ace winger Marck Espejo will have little time to rest following a successful run in the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games as he prepares to bring his act to Taiwan.

Although not disclosing which team he will play for, the veteran spiker will spend the holidays preparing his documentary requirements for his international stint.

“I’ll just take some rest. When we return to the Philippines, I’ll be preparing documents for me to play in Taiwan,” he said.

Once he completes his requirements, Espejo will be suiting up for his seventh club overseas after seeing action with Japanese squads Oita Miyoshi Weiss Adler, FC Tokyo and Kubota Spears Osaka, Visakha in Thailand, Bani Jamra in Bahrain and with Incheon Korean Air Jumbos in Korea.

“That’s what’s next for me. I’ll be playing for a club team but this time in Taiwan,” the 28-year-old Ateneo de Manila University product said.

Espejo helped Alas end a six-year medal drought in the biennial meet with a bronze medal finish in the men’s indoor volleyball.

The explosive scorer averaged 13.5 points per game in the four matches Alas played in the competition.

Espejo saved his best game for last, pumping in 30 points in the Philippines’ thrilling come-from-behind win over Vietnam, 23-25, 23-25, 25-18, 25-22, 16-14, in the consolation match last Friday at the Indoor Stadium Huamark here.

Alas’ victory ended a back-to-back fifth-place finish following its historic silver medal in the 2019 Manila edition.

It was the country’s first bronze since the 1997 Jakarta SEA Games and sixth in the regional meet overall.

“Personally, as the kuya of the team, I’m super happy. As Lolo (Coach Angiolino Frigoni) told us, we’ve been through a lot and through all that our goal is to get a podium finish,” Espejo said.

“I mean, everybody dreams to get that gold, but I guess we still have a long way to go. It will be difficult, but we’re getting there. We are on the right path as (assistant) coach Odjie (Mamon) said. Personally, super happy with the way we beat Vietnam — that comeback showed our fight. Super proud of the team.”