MORE last-minute changes are bound Alas Pilipinas’ way just two days before its 2024 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Challenger Cup opener against Vietnam.
Jema Galanza will no longer take on the libero role and will revert to her natural outside hitter position.
READ: Why is Jema listed as libero for FIVB Challenger Cup? de Brito explains
Then in a surprise move, 5-foot-11 middle blocker Cherry Nunag will be the nationals’ second libero alongside multi-awarded veteran floor general Dawn Macandili-Catindig, who stands roughly 11 inches smaller.
Such roster alterations were confirmed by Alas head coach Jorge Souza de Brito to SPIN.ph on Wednesday afternoon.
The official FIVB website has already reflected these positional changes as of posting time.
Why the late changes?
When asked to verify the above-mentioned modified roster, particularly involving Galanza and Nunag's role switch-ups, de Brito gave a brief and forthright confirmation.
"True."
And on why such adjustments were made, the Brazilian mentor said there were 'many' reasons behind these late decisions but did not specify any of these justifications.
In the recently-concluded 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference, in which Nunag did play the middle blocker role alongside the league's best libero in Thang Ponce who had Choco Mucho's floor defense covered, the Alas star's numbers won't be as staggering as one might expect.
The La Salle-Dasmariñas hotshot recorded 10 excellent digs (15.63% efficiency; 118th in the league) and six reception attempts.
Just three days ago, as first reported by SPIN.ph, Alas newcomer Alyssa Solomon and Chery Tiggo duo Eya Laure and Jen Nierva are all likely to miss the Challenger Cup. Their playing statuses, however, still hangs in the balance a day before the tournament opener.
With such modifications already slated in the pipeline, Alas aims to conquer a tall order and shoot for a spot in the 2025 edition of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL).
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
