MANILA: Alas Pilipinas will try to prove how tough they are in the FIVB Women's Volleyball Challenger Cup scheduled from July 4 to 7 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila. The team, which won a historic bronze medal at the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup for Women last month, will be up against Vietnam in its first game. 'It's tough on Day 1 for Alas Pilipinas, but we're very sure they'll give the Vietnamese a tough fight,' Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Ramon 'Tats' Suzara said on Friday. The Alas Pilipinas-Vietnam encounter is set at 6:30 p.m. on July 5 after the match between the Czech Republic and Argentina at 3 p.m. Puerto Rico will face Kenya at 3 p.m., while Belgium and Sweden square off at 5 p.m. on July 4. Winners will advance to the semifinals until the finale, which is also under a win-or-go-home format. The top team qualifies for next year's Volleyball Nations League (VNL). Alas Pilipinas made an impressive showing at the AVC Challenge Cup where team captain Jia Morado-De Guzman and Angel Canino were named Best Setter and Best Opposite Spiker, respectively. Pro star Jema Galanza and collegiate aces Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon, Fifi Sharma, Thea Gagate, Sisi Rondina, Eya Laure, Faith Nisperos, Vanie Gandler, Dawn Macandili-Catindig, Julia Coronel, Jen Nierva, Dell Palomata, Cherry Nunag and Arah Panique are the other members of the team coached by Brazilian Jorge Edson Souza de Brito. The PNVF expects the FIVB Women's Volleyball Challenger Cup to be another success like last week's VNL Men's Week 3 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, which it also hosted. Source: Philippines News Agency