PHILIPPINE Superliga (PSL) Manila faces an extreme acid test against teams parading Olympians and world-class spikers in the 2016 International Volleyball Federation Women’s Club World Championship set from October 18 to 23 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
PSL Manila opens its Group A campaign against Rexona-Sesc Rio of Brazil on opening day, followed by its match against Pomi Casalmaggiore of Italy on the next day. The local side will battle defending champion Eczacibasi Vitra Istanbul in their last group stage assignment.
PSL Manila is coached by Serbian Moro Branislav, who has as assistant Japanese Shun Takahashi. The team is bannered by captain Rachel Anne Daquis, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Jaja Santiago, Mika Reyes, Kim Fajardo, Jen Reyes and Ces Molina.
“Filipino players are very interesting. They are good and possibly play a good level like the Europeans,” Branislav said.
PSL Manila will be reinforced by seven imports, led by Puerto Rican Lynda Morales, who saw action in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Joining Morales are Tinchaya Boonlert of Thailand, Ekaterina Krivets of Russia, Yevgeniya Nyukhalova of Ukraine, Lindsay Stalzer and Stephanie Niemer of the United States and Yuri Fukuda of Japan.
Group B is composed of Vakifbank Instanbul of Turkey, Volero Zurich of Switzerland, Hisamitsu Springs Kobe of Japan and Bangkok Glass of Thailand. Rio Olympics Most Valuable Player Zhu Ting of China leads the Turkish club Vakifbank Istanbul.