CAPITAL1 winger Leila Cruz and National U setter Lams Lamina are the last two cuts from Alas Pilipinas’ final roster for the 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup in Vietnam.
READ: Nitura joins Belen, Canino in final Alas Pilipinas lineup for AVC
The nationals will be parading a 14-strong roster for the tournament, sans their training player-turned-late pool entrant in Cruz and a two-time UAAP best setter in Lamina.
As such, Alas Women is all set to begin its quest to retain or possibly make a step up from their breakthrough bronze-medal finish on home soil in the competition last year.
"Yes, in this Nations Cup, [Cruz and Lamina] are off [the final roster]," de Brito confirmed to SPIN.ph on Thursday evening.
This leaves Alas Women with one natural opposite hitter in Alyssa Solomon, who has won the positional award as a utility winger both in collegiate and international play.
Possibly set to back her up are two converted opposites in Far Eastern University sophomore middle blocker Cla Loresco and La Salle's Angel Canino, who was Alas' lead opposite when they won bronze in this competition last year.
Meanwhile, Lamina's exclusion from the final squad means that namesakes Jia de Guzman and Julia Coronel will take turns in playmaking duties.
14-strong Alas confirmed
In full, here is Alas Women's 14-strong contingent for the Nations Cup, starting June 7 in Hanoi.
- Alyssa Solomon
- Angel Canino
- Bella Belen
- Cla Loresco
- Dawn Macandili-Catindig
- Dell Palomata
- Eya Laure
- Fifi Sharma
- Jen Nierva
- Jia de Guzman
- Julia Coronel
- Shaina Nitura
- Thea Gagate
- Vanie Gandler
First up for the nationals to open the tournament is Mongolia on June 7, 4 p.m.
It will be followed by a pair of marquee matchups against powerhouse neighbors Indonesia (June 8; 1:30 p.m.) and Iran (June 9; 4 p.m.).
After a quick one-day break, Alas Women will return to action to close out pool play against New Zealand (June 11; 4 p.m.) and Kazakhstan (June 12; 11:30 a.m.).
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