ALAS Pilipinas aces Vanie Gandler and Dell Palomata will sit out Leg 2 of the 2024 SEA V.League in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
Alas head coach Jorge Souza de Brito confirmed his new set of reserves to SPIN.ph on Thursday night in the eve of the nationals’ second leg opener against host nation Thailand.
READ: Gagate, de Guzman win special awards in SEA V.League Leg 1
“Palomata and Gandler (will not play Leg 2),” de Brito bared.
Back in Leg 1, it was Cherry Nunag and Alas newcomer Jema Galanza who were dropped from the final 14-woman roster.
But as de Brito pointed out, their exclusions weren’t prompted by injuries or any fitness-related concerns.
It just so happened that Alas Pilipinas had an expanded 16-woman pool, whereas the SEA V.League only permits 14 players per team per leg — giving the nationals a chance to make, at most, two changes coming into the next leg.
Alas' rousing start
A promising first leg saw the Philippines cop its third bronze medal in the regional meet and first in five years since both legs of the inaugural edition in 2019 in Thailand and on home soil in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
Topping a decorated campaign was a pair of special awards given to Alas captain Jia de Guzman (best setter) and Thea Gagate (best middle blocker).
Alas gave Asian powerhouse Vietnam a proper test before absorbing a tight four-sets loss where Palomata (14 points on nine attacks and five blocks) and Gandler (12 points on 11 attacks and one ace) shone brightest.
The now-sidelined pair struggled to hit their marks come the last two games of Leg 1 against Thailand and Indonesia, however, as Palomata got five points in all, while Gandler was left scoreless with limited playing time.
With Galanza and Nunag suiting up, Alas looks to replicate its Leg 1 success by exacting redemption on Thailand (Aug. 9; 7 p.m.) and Vietnam (Aug. 10; 4 p.m.), then doing the double over Indonesia (Aug. 11; 4 p.m.).
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