A strong Japanese squad that once competed against Ateneo de Manila University will be flying over to serve as the fourth team in the final round of the Belo Philippine Superliga (PSL) Invitational Conference starting Thursday at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan.
Kobe Shinwa Women’s University will be arriving on Tuesday (March 28) to grace a press launch before plunging into action against Foton, Cignal and unbeaten Petron in the final round of this club tourney bankrolled by Mikasa, Senoh, Asics and Mueller with TV5 as official broadcast partner.
A legitimate contender in the All-Japan Women’s University Tournament, the guest squad is tipped to march into battle with the signature speed, accuracy, skills and discipline of a Japanese team that would give local squads tough nights.
Kobe Shinwa, in fact, gave the Lady Eagles a ringside view of Asian brand of volleyball when it faced them in a friendly match in Osaka last January.
“This team is one of the best university teams in Japan,” said PSL president Ramon “Tats” Suzara, who enjoys good working relationship with his Japanese counterparts being a member of the Asian Volleyball Confederation and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).
“As we know, Japanese volleyball players are not the tallest or the strongest, but they are the fastest and most disciplined. I hope we could absorb those traits and use them when we compete in the AVC Asian Senior Women’s Championship and the SEA Games this August.”
Suzara also brought Japanese trainer Shun Takahashi and Hiroshima Oilers libero Yuri Fukuda to the country when they powered the PSL Manila squad in the prestigious FIVB Women’s Club World Championship last year.
