MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas standout Xyz Rayco believes the Philippines’ historic campaign in the FIVB Girls U17 World Championship can lay the foundation for a stronger future for the country’s volleyball program.
Rayco made the remarks after the Philippines fell to Japan, 25-13, 25-19, 25-16, in the classification round in Santiago, Chile, on Saturday (Manila time).
“We’ve shown that even at a young age, we can compete at the international level,” Rayco said.
The Philippines secured its best-ever finish in a world championship for a national volleyball team after becoming the first Filipino squad to reach the round of 16. South Korea ended the team’s run with a straight-sets victory.
Rayco, 16, said playing against top youth programs exposed the team to a higher level of competition and taught the players the importance of discipline, communication and composure.
“The level of play is really high,” said Rayco, who helped the Philippines qualify for the world championship after a fifth-place finish at the AVC U16 Championship in Amman, Jordan, last year.
She hopes the experience will help the players as they advance to the senior level.
“Hopefully, when we move up to the senior level, our progress will continue and won’t stop here,” Rayco said. “We want to carry the experience and lessons we’ve learned from this tournament so we’re better prepared for the future.”
Rayco also said the historic run could inspire the next generation of Filipino volleyball players.
“Being able to play in a World Championship and make history at such a young age means a lot to us,” she said. “We’re very grateful for this opportunity because it will help our careers and motivate us to keep improving.”
The Alas Girls will continue their classification-round campaign against Venezuela on Sunday.
The Philippines previously rallied from two sets down against Venezuela before losing in five sets, 25-19, 25-16, 22-25, 19-25, 15-11. The comeback helped the team secure its place in the round of 16.
