THREE UAAP stars won’t be representing the Philippines in the upcoming 2024 AVC Challenge Cup in Manila after Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon and Casiey Dongallo begged off from national duty.
READ: Belen, Solomon non-committal on NU return, national team duties
Two days after winning their second UAAP championship in three seasons, National University stars Belen and Solomon decided to decline the call-up after a hectic stretch of league matches and training sessions for the last three months.
The three were part of Jorge Souza de Brito’s 16-woman national team pool for his final act as nationals mentor which begins at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in five days’ time.
Both Solomon and Belen were reluctant in confirming their participation on the day their names were announced in the national team pool, citing schedules and health concerns as their main reasons.
“Yung national team, parang pinag-iisipan pa po namin na mag-join kasi parang dire-diretso (‘yung schedule) eh. Naghahanap din ‘yung katawan namin ng rest so hindi pa kami sure kung mag-jojoin kami,” newly-minted UAAP Finals MVP Solomon said.
“‘Di ko pa po alam, kasi alam ko si Ate Aly may checkup for yung injury niya before. Then siguro titignan namin, magre-report muna sa school,” said two-time UAAP MVP Belen.
Dongallo suffers fractured right wrist
Meanwhile, Dongallo, UAAP Season 86's top elimination round scorer, sustained a fracture on her right wrist prior to her scheduled first training session with the nationals on Friday. According to sources, the UE super rookie's injury will take from ‘four to six weeks’ to heal.
LOOK:
In photos shared by Cal-Precision Sports on Facebook, Dongallo was seen wearing a cast on her right arm as she visited national team training in Mandaluyong today with Lady Warriors coaches Doc Obet Vital and Shota Sato.
The pullouts less than a week before the tournament cuts de Brito's national team pool to just 14 players — 10 of whom are active Premier Volleyball League (PVL) players alongside La Salle's star trio of Angel Canino, Thea Gagate and Julia Coronel.
And as of writing, it has been confirmed that Belen and Solomon's fellow Lady Bulldog Arah Panique will join the national team pool as an additional outside hitter.
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