MANY are wondering why some of the country's best women volleyball players were left out of the 17-strong national team roster for the 2025 VTV Cup from June 28 to July 5 in Vinh Phuc, Vietnam.
READ: Van Sickle, Andaya lead 8 new faces in Alas lineup for VTV Cup
Alas Pilipinas Women head coach Jorge Souza de Brito assured there was nothing to worry about.
He is simply giving UAAP’s star quartet Angel Canino, Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon and Shaina Nitura, along with Cla Loresco and Jen Nierva a much-needed rest after a gruelling UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament in late May and the 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup in early June.
“They are taking a break,” de Brito told SPIN.ph.
But some of the girls apparently are not getting a respite.
The collegiate players have resumed training with their UAAP teams like Nations Cup best outside hitter Canino with La Salle.
Rest, then recharge
Members of the national team will get a one-month break after the VTV Cup in July.
In August, they’ll be back in action for the 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) V.League set Aug. 1 to 3 in Vietnam and Aug. 8 to 10 in Thailand where they won bronze in both legs last year.
Some time in the same month, de Brito said he plans to host an invitational match that will be headlined by world No. 9 Dominican Republic.
It will be part of the preparations for the country's SEA Games bid which will be held in December.
This invitational, should it happen, will be crucial as it will expose the women's team to world-class competition.
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