Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Preparations of the Petron Blaze Spikers for the upcoming Asian Club Women’s Volleyball Championship in Vietnam are now in full swing.
Their nightly trainings at the FEU gym last for two hours daily — quick but filled with more intense drills.
“Sa international iba yung labanan diyan so kailangan ide-design mo yung game structure mo sa sasalihan mo,” said coach George Pascua.
The inclusion of two Brazilian import players — Erica Adachi and Rupia Inck — added more firepower to the team.
Adachi won the gold with the Brazilian junior national team at the 2007 FIVB Volleyball Women’s Under-20 Championship.
As the eldest in the team at 27, the veteran setter will also serve as the team’s main playmaker.
“The girls know how to play volleyball. We just have to prepare psychologically so we can have a great experience over there and win as a team,” Adachi said.
“Yung setter, beterano at pareho silang Brazilian so nagkakaintindihan sila so yung challenge na lang natin, pano sila mag-blend as a team na maging united sa loob ng court,” Pascua said.
The younger Inck, meanwhile, will complement Rachel Anne Daquis as the team’s outside hitter.
Being the team’s tallest player at 6-foot-1, she is tasked to neutralize opponent attacks with her long arms.
“Yung pinili natin isang opposite kasi knowing opposite, siya yung buma-block dito sa outside hitter ng kalaban kasi sa kalaban ang pinaka-spiker nila yung outside hitter so naglagay tayo ng malaking player doon para pam-block,” Pascua said.
“I’ll try to bring a lot of motivation like I’m very passionate about volleyball and I’m very competitive, I hate losing so I’ll try to bring that to the team,” Inck said.
Daquis and another teammate Aby Maraño are still adjusting to the Brazilian duo, but learning from them at the same time.
“Yung communication inside the court, siyempre medyo may ilangan kasi kami ni Aby (Maraño) hindi pa namin sila naging teammates but yung other teammates namin naging teammates (na) sila so communication is yung magkakasama kami sa loob ng court, kailangan maging jive kami and yun kumbaga walang ilangan,” Daquis said.
“Every single pagkakamali nila kapag mayroon silang flaw sa training, talagang makikita mo sa mukha nila na gusto nilang bumawi kaagad as in yung expression nila, yung attitude nila na kailangan kong mabawi agad ‘yon,” Maraño said.
Pascua admits their stint in the Asian tournament will not be just a walk in the park. No Philippine club has ever won in the tournament dominated by the Chinese, Japanese and Thais.
As long as none of his troops will be out because of an injury, George is hoping to make it to the final four for the first time.
“Ang target namin at least makapasok tayo ng semis and then after that, ibang story na yun kapag nakapasok tayo doon,” Pascua said.
