ALAS Pilipinas team captain Jia de Guzman and rising star Angel Canino joined the winners' circle of the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Women.
READ: Alas players, staff rewarded with P200,000 each for podium finish
On top of her captaincy duties, the veteran playmaker was hailed as the tournament's best setter after orchestrating Alas' run to a breakthrough bronze medal.
From finishing off her Japan duties this season to jumping straight away to national team duties for the first time in a year, de Guzman's whirlwind of a month has received the recognition it duly deserves.
But more than the individual acclaim, it's Alas' bronze medal finish that outweighs everything for her after entering the tournament with 'no expectations,' only to end up rising in a historic breakthrough for Philippine volleyball.
"I'm so overwhelmed right now kasi unang-una, pinaka proud ako kasi nakapag-bronze nga yung team. Sobrang biggest achievement 'to for all of us. We came in this tournament not expecting anything and now we're bringing home a bronze medal so sobrang proud ko sa bawat member ng team talaga and it wouldn't be possible kung may isang kulang sa'min.
"And this one (Best Setter award), this one is a big bonus and I owe it also to lahat ng na-experience ko ever since I started playing, sa lahat po ng coaches and players na na-encounter ko. They made me who I am today. So, maraming salamat po."
Another winning debut
When Canino made her UAAP seniors' debut in Season 84, she won the best outside hitter nod straight away. And two years later in her national team debut, Canino copped the best opposite hitter nod just weeks since switching positions to fill the gaps in Alas' player rotations.
Despite sitting out Alas' pool play finale versus Chinese Taipei, national team debutant Canino shone brightest in her converted role and was named best opposite hitter after averaging 13 points on 11 attacks, 1.17 aces and 0.67 blocks in the tournament's six-game stretch.
"Yun nga lagi kong sinasabi na parang nagugulat pa rin ako sa result and nagulat ako na naging best opposite ako kasi knowing this AVC, marami akong kalaban sa spot ko so I didn't expect anything. Hindi ko naman talaga hinabol talaga itong award na 'to.
"It's more on making history talaga for the Philippines and it's more of my teammates din talaga so credits talaga sa teammates ko, sa management, sa mga coaches kasi hindi ko magagawa lahat ng 'to kung hindi dahil sa kanila. Sobrang na-appreciate ko sila," said Canino.
"Itong award na 'to, hindi 'to akin. Para po 'to sa kanila (sa team ko)."
Back-to-back champion Vietnam's ace trio also racked up awards as Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen took home MVP honors as Le Thanh Thuy and Nguyen Khanh were named co-best middle blocker and best libero, respectively.
Tournament debutant and silver medalist Kazakhstan had its leading scorer Sana Anarkulova win co-best outside hitter and Yuliya Yakimova named co-best middle blocker.
Top-four finisher Australia's Caitlin Tipping was also hailed as co-best outside hitter.
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