LOOK: 19th Asian Senior Women’s Volleyball Championship schedule

MANILA, Philippines－ In two days, Asia’s elite women’s volleyball club teams will battle it out in the latest edition of the Asian Senior Women’s Volleyball Championship, which will take place on August 9 to 17 here. 

Tapped to take the hosting duties for the tourney’s 19th version, the country will be rolling out the red carpet for a total of 14 nations which will compete at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna as well as the Muntinlupa Sports Complex. 

The Philippine team, which is looking to improve from a 12th place finish back in 2015, found itself locked in Pool A alongside Kazakhstan and Hong Kong.

Olympic finalist nation China landed in Pool B with Japan and Australia, while South Korea, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand round up Pool C. 

Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Iran, and Maldives meanwhile make up Pool D.

Led by head shotcaller Francis Vicente, the national squad will commence its 8-day campaign against Hong Kong during the opener on Wednesday, August 9, followed by a meeting with Kazakhstan on August 11. 

Take a look at PH’s initial competition schedule below:

After the group rounds, the pools will then be shuffled and pitted against one another to determine which teams advance to the quarterfinal and semifinal stages. The tournament takes a breather Saturday, August 12, before the classification and seeding rounds begin on Sunday.

ABS-CBN Sports + Action will be airing selected games on primetime (delayed telecast). Tickets are priced at P250 and P150.

The Asian Seniors wrap up just a few hours before the Southeast Asian Games kick off in Malaysia on the 19th － making the tilt an essential build up for the national volleyball squad’s tour of duty in the biennial regional meet.

(READ: PH team to use Asian Seniors tilt as build up for SEA Games)

Skipper Mika Reyes and former SEA Games flag bearer Alyssa Valdez spearhead the team, together with veterans Jovelyn Gonzaga, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Ces Molina, Maika Ortiz, and Rhea Dimaculangan.

Former and current UAAP standouts Aby Marano, Denden Lazaro, Gen Casugod, Kim Fajardo, and Jaja Santiago will also suit up for action, while De La Salle University Lady Spikers Kim Kianna Dy and Dawn Macandili complete the cast as reserves.－Rappler.com