ALAS Pilipinas’ semifinals foe in Chinese Taipei knows a thing or two about Philippine volleyball at the highest level.
READ: Alas Pilipinas Women to play Chinese-Taipei in Nations Cup semis
Their players carry experience competing in the Philippines ranging from two months to three years ago before duking it out for a spot in the 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup finals.
The core of Chinese Taipei’s national team mostly hails from domestic champion club KingWhale Taipei.
They were the PVL’s first foreign guest team in 2022 and bagged the silver medal following a 21-25, 19-25, 8-25 loss to Creamline in the winner-take-all title game of that year’s Invitational Conference.
However, KingWhale Taipei got the better of the Cool Smashers, 25-15, 17-25, 25-22, 24-26, 15-5, in a non-bearing semis finale in five sets prior to the championship game.
Five key holdovers, including head coach Teng Yen-Min, will be among Alas’ challengers for a spot in the Nations Cup final.
Four of whom are former PVL best setter and captain Liao Yi-Jen and best libero Qiu Shi-Qing, along with opposite hitter Chen Chieh and reserve setter Chen Li-Jung.
Former utility winger Chang Chih Hsuan has since transitioned as one of the team’s assistant coaches.
On Alas’ end, only Creamline’s Jia de Guzman and PLDT’s Dell Palomata were able to play against KingWhale Taipei in the PVL.
From one setter to another, Liao and Teng are wary of the ingenious grit de Guzman can bring to the table and are both bracing for a tough challenge ahead.
"The setters are looking forward to face [each other again]. The Philippine setter played in Japan and [our] setter did the same, so it will be exciting to see the setters fight," Teng said.
"[Jia] is a very smart setter. [Tonight], we will watch out for her," Liao added.
Who got the (Tai)power?
Back in April, another Chinese Taipei champion club in Taipower reached local shores and competed in the first 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Champions League.
Taipower was only able to play one of three Philippine teams in newly-crowned 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference champion Petro Gazz.
It managed to beat the Angels in a huge 25-15, 25-16, 19-25, 25-20 win to top their pool before bowing out of the quarterfinals to Vietnamese champion VTV Bình Điền Long An.
Taipower’s formidable scoring quartet is also part of the national team that will challenge the Philippine national team, including opposite hitter Huang Ching Hsuan, middle blocker Hu Xiao-Pei, and the outside hitter duo of Tsai Yu-Chun and Hsu Wan-Yun.
For a shot at Nations Cup glory, Chinese Taipei will face the Philippines on June 13, 9 p.m. (Manila time) in Hanoi, Vietnam.
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