IN the 63-year history of competitive Philippine volleyball, the women’s national team has made 41 appearances in international tournaments with 15 medal finishes in total — 13 in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and two in the SEA V.League.
But in just a matter of days, a 16th podium finish could be within reach for Alas Pilipinas in the 2024 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup for Women on home soil as it secured the country’s first-ever semifinals appearance in an AVC-sanctioned tournament.
READ: Alas Pilipinas whips Chinese-Taipei, faces Kazakhstan in semis
Standing in their way are the world’s 30th-ranked and Asia’s No. 4 team Kazakhstan in the knockout semis on Tuesday and possibly one of continental hotshots Vietnam or Australia in either the gold or bronze medal match.
For a national team program that has witnessed arguably its best assemblages of aces fall short of glory time time and again in the international stage, a golden breakthrough might emerge under rather unexpected circumstances from a hastily-assembled, eclectic core of pro and college standouts.
Team captain Jia de Guzman and ace libero Dawn Macandili-Catindig, two of the longest-tenured nationals in the current Alas team,, have nearly a decade’s worth of experience playing in the biggest stages for flag and country.
With a gold medal in sight, a feat neither of them have reached for the Philippine team, de Guzman and Macandili-Catindig pointed out Alas’ evident edge from national teams of years past: depth, maturity and unpredictability.
“We have a good mix of young players and veterans na sobrang naba-balance ang isa’t isa. It’s a good blend of fire, energy and composure. Tina-try naming i-maintain ‘yun hanggang sa dulo and learn from our past games din kasi good training ground talaga ‘yung elimination round for us,” said de Guzman.
“The bench is pretty deep. Kahit sino sa amin, ready pumasok, ready mag-deliver, kahit si Julia Coronel as a setter. It’s good for us kasi at least we’re a bit more unpredictable para sa mga kalaban,” she added.
“Sobrang special every batch pero ito ang pinaka-feeling ko na sobrang sarap maglaro ng volleyball. Natutuwa ako sa mga bata kasi sobrang matured nila maglaro and sobrang napapadali ang trabaho namin,” Macandili-Catindig shared.
“Sobrang surreal na since joining the national team back in 2017, ito naman talaga 'yung goal and sobrang masaya ako na ngayon nandito na kami and malapit na malapit nang ma-achieve 'yung pinapangarap namin.”
‘Ate Jaja’ proud of Alas’ young aces
One of Philippine volleyball’s longstanding pillars who’s been with the national team through highs and lows is Jaja Santiago.
Albeit in the midst of her Japan naturalization bid, the eight-year Philippine team veteran watched from the stands of the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on a rainy Sunday evening as Alas formalized its historic entry to the semifinals of the continental showpiece.
And above anything else, it’s the tenacity and grit of such a young squad that left Santiago in awe of what could be for the future of women’s volleyball in the country.
“Everyone is palaban and makikita mo sa lahat na they're really willing to give their best and puso to win every game. Nakikita ko ngayon sa lineup na kahit ipasok, (may character sila na) 'I will deliver.’ ‘Yun yung magandang characteristic ng mga players ngayon,” said Santiago.
“In a short period of time, their connection is really strong immediately. And I think one of the reasons also (is how) Jia (de Guzman) leads the team really well. That's one of the good things now na meron nagli-lead sa kanila sa loob ng court and (they) really follow.”
Santiago also tipped her hat to a pair of national team newbies in Angel Canino and Thea Gagate who has stood their ground in the face of the grinding pressure.
“I think this is the (Philippine team) with the youngest players. Kahit bata, makikita mo, like (Angel) Canino, kahit sabihin natin na this is her first time, and (Thea) Gagate, first time to play in the national team, you can see their willingness to deliver really well."
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