Alas Pilipinas Women are embracing the weight of heightened expectations as they prepare to compete in the AVC Women’s Nations Cup in Vietnam, looking to build on their historic bronze medal finish from last year’s tournament.
Head coach Jorge Souza de Brito sees the pressure as a positive sign — a reflection of the team’s breakthrough performance in the previous edition and a signal that they are ready to aim even higher.
The Brazilian tactician emphasized that pressure is a privilege — one that comes with the opportunity to compete at an elite level and meet high expectations, which he says is a good indication of the team’s upward trajectory.
“In my opinion, it’s a privilege to be under pressure. It means you’ve been performing well. But again, nobody wants to be in second, third, or fourth place. So when the players join the competition, they come in with their own goals and targets,” said De Brito in an interview with One Sports.
“The pressure we have right now is good for us. But again, I’m just asking every single day if they can do their best — try to apply what we’ve been training over these past months. My expectation is that they can perform. You need to perform first.”
Last year, Alas Pilipinas made history by securing the country’s first-ever podium finish at the continental level during the AVC Challenge Cup — now rebranded as the Nations Cup — behind standout performances from Best Setter Jia De Guzman and Best Opposite Hitter Angel Canino.
The team reasserted its dominance over a taller Australian squad in the bronze medal match, cruising to a 25-23, 25-15, 25-7 win. That victory marked the Philippines’ first medal in an AVC-sanctioned tournament since joining the Asian Volleyball Confederation in 1961.
Alas Pilipinas will open its campaign tomorrow at 4:00 PM against Mongolia at the Đông Anh Gymnasium in Hanoi.
According to De Brito, Mongolia presents a unique challenge, especially since the team did not compete in last year’s edition but has been steadily progressing.
The newly appointed Capital1 head coach also stressed that the opening match in any international tournament is always among the most difficult, as teams are still settling in and adjusting to the environment.
“Even if they didn’t join [last year], they’ve been practicing and performing well,” he said. “Right now, they’re a bit of a surprise for us, but they’ve also taken notice of our team, so it’s going to be tough. Also, it’s the first match — and the first match is always difficult. It’s always different for everyone, both for them and for us.”
Alas Pilipinas is grouped in Pool B, alongside Kazakhstan, Iran, Indonesia, and New Zealand.
