by Dave Delgado

Guam - Our Women's National Volleyball Team left to China this morning to compete in the 2013 East Asian Games. The team has been training for the last couple of months in preparation for the games putting in numerous hours of conditioning and practices.

Assistant coach Ray Mantanona told KUAM Sports, "We have been practicing for a couple of months getting ready for these East Asian Games and I am very happy with the progress that they have done since the initial tryouts that we had to get some of the women to come out and represent our national team. The women have been working hard and tirelessly to prepare for these games. I think we are pretty much where we want to be at this stage and we are looking forward to going back there and competing."

Team Guam will be facing teams such as Japan and Hong Kong who are in their pool. The ladies have been through 2-hour long intense workouts indoors as well as beach workouts. With the help of Academy and Notre Dame, the national team was able to get quality practices in.

Tatiana Sablan said, "We have a really well mix of girl's here. We have a couple of veterans in Emma Gatewood and Maria Wahl and a few new ones to the national team like Joneen Terlaje, she's one of youngest girl's on the team. Last year's national team had Shanniqua Mendiola, she's also on this year's national team. We are really excited to go out there this year. All of our prep has been towards this for almost a year now. We have a great coaching staff in Dan Hattig and Ray Mantanona who has been coaching us 3 times a week."

And teammate Kara Guerrero added, "Preparing for the East Asian Games we are working on strong defense, effective blocking and covering the block and making sure going up on each play. Also shifting on switching and transitioning on defense and offense and working on plays on offense like back 2's, 3's and all that stuff."