BARUERI, BRAZIL—The Philippine national women’s volleyball squad kept on getting better each day, picking up another impressive win on Thursday at the expense of the Barueri Volleyball Club under-21 spikers right inside the latter’s home court at Sportville here.

Mylene Paat led the assault with 19 points and Jaja Santiago showed unstoppable prowess at the net with 18 points as the national spikers delivered another merciless 25-11, 22-25, 25-13, 26-24 flogging of the home team in front of a large visiting Filipino community cheering wildly at the stands.

Alyssa Valdez smashed the Brazilian end of the floor with eight points while fellow open spikers Ces Molina and Jema Galanza scored seven points each, thanks to the timing and precision of setters Kyle Negrito and Iris Tolenada who took turns in opening diverse scoring opportunities for Team Philippines.

While the Filipinos asserted their mastery in all four sets in their first meeting, the Brazilians were able to snatch a frame this time but couldn’t find a solution on fending off the continuous shelling from the other side.

Since they began the training camp eight days ago in this center of volleyball excellence, the PH spikers just dropped their first tuneup and won three in a row—once against club teams Sesi Sorocaba and twice opposite BVC U21.

The team was dog-tired from a 36-hour journey from Manila when the Filipinos immediately faced Superliga A Sao Caetano the following night upon their arrival.

“They have been working hard and they are getting better. I know that in competition, they can do much more,” said headcoach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito.

Team captain Aby Marano had her share of brilliance in the second set while opposite spiker Kat Tolentino, liberos Kath Arado, Dawn Macandili and middle blockers Dell Palomata and Majoy Baron contributed on deflecting the Brazilians.

The Philippine National Volleyball Federation headed by its president Ramon “Tats” Suzara has brought the women’s squad here for a two-week camp supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Rebisco, PLDT and the City of Taguig.

The camp has been designed to mold the team into championship form against heavyweights Thailand and Vietnam in the coming 31st Southeast Asian Games on May 12-23.

“The team has been consistently improving since arriving here. They have already adjusted and you can see it during practices and during the games,” said PNVF executive board member and national team chairperson Tony Boy Liao.

The PH spikers are aiming to secure a medal in the SEA Games to end a long drought that started when the team claimed a bronze medal in the 2005 SEA Games in Manila.

According to De Brito, who has a competent core of assistants in Odjie Mamon, Grace Antigua, Raffy Mosuela, Tina Salak and therapist Grace Gomez, the national squad won’t play another tuneup until some of the on-court concerns have been addressed.

“We don’t need any (tuneup game) right now. Maybe next week, but right now we have to fix some problems before we play again,” said De Brito.