Nationals show wares in PSL tilt

MANILA, Philippines — The Asian Games-bound women’s national volleyball team makes its first public appearance as it faces Cocolife in a non-bearing match in the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga Invitational Conference today at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

As part of its build-up for the Asiad in Indonesia in August, the national pool will play three matches against the leading squads in the league.

The Filipina spikers, however, will be without a number of players aside from libero Denden Lazaro, who plays for her mother club, the Asset Managers, in the 2 p.m. encounter prior to the 4:15 p.m. match between Petron and UP-United Auctioneers, Inc.

“We’ll miss a lot of players, but the team is ready for this game,” said Phl team coach Shaq delos Santos, who is putting premium on chemistry.

“Developing our chemistry is the most important thing. This is the first competitive game of the national team so we have to start jelling here,” he added.

Focus will also be on the 7 p.m. clash between Sta. Lucia (1-2) and University of the East-Cherrylume (0-2) in Pool B with the winner staying in the semis hunt. The loser will be relegated to the classification round for seventh to 10th places.

Idle Cignal is on top of Pool B with a 3-0 win-loss record while Smart-Army totes a 2-1 card as Ging Balse-Pabayo and Nene Bautista poured 15 and 13 points, respectively, to lead the Giga Hitters past the Asset Managers (1-2) late Thursday.

The national team will be missing Frances Molina, Mika Reyes and Rhea Dimaculangan, who will be playing for the Blaze Spikers, who are eyeing their second straight win in Pool A.