THERE seemed to be more questions than answers, at least for now, with how Alas Pilipinas has taken shape days before the 2024 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Challenger Cup goes underway.
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But for team captain and 2024 AVC Challenge Cup best setter Jia de Guzman, trust on what the national team remains of the essence — now more than ever.
Big step forward, few steps back
After reaching cloud nine with a bronze medal finish in the Challenge Cup, uncertainty clouded Alas’ formation despite expanding its current player pool from 14 to 19 — and now, back to 14.
Initially reinstated to the team since begging off from the Challenge Cup were the National University duo of Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon alongside University of the East rookie standout Casiey Dongallo.
READ: Cherry Nunag new Alas libero as Jema returns to natural position
Back in May, the three UAAP stars sought rest and recovery on top of nursing a few injuries after the collegiate season.
A month later then came a formidable veteran duo to stretch the pool to 19 — Creamline’s champion-MVP tandem in Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza.
The promise of depth and added star power seemed too good to be true.
And as it turned out, it actually was.
Dongallo’s arm injury from before the Challenge Cup and Carlos’ suspected physical struggles dating back to the PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals saw both players step back from the Challenger Cup pool.
This was followed by news first reported by SPIN.ph that Solomon and Alas mainstays Eya Laure and Jen Nierva were all ‘unlikely’ to suit up in the Challenger Cup.
Shuffling Alas’ deck
Such personnel problems didn’t end there as Alas head coach Jorge Souza de Brito was prompted to make positional changes to what is now again a 14-player pool as it stands.
It began with the shock listing of Galanza as libero, but she was not long after reverted to her natural outside hitter role.
But taking the second libero role in Galanza’s place: 5-foot-10 middle blocker Cherry Nunag — a decision that left volleyball fans just as surprised and puzzled as Galanza’s initial role conversion.
From the gambit of switching Angel Canino from an outside to an opposite hitter - which had an award-strewn finish a few months ago - one would hope that the same fate awaits for a rather out-of-the-box adjustment with Nunag.
The answers to such questions, though, will only surface on their own come the Challenger Cup. But as of the moment, skipper de Guzman gave a firm re-assurance that every single move to retool the current Alas side is justified, whether the reasons behind them are known or not.
“You may not know the real reasons or stories behind it, but tough decisions are not made for nothing."
“Tiwala.”
Trust, among many other things, will be at the core of Alas’ knockout quarterfinal charge against regional powerhouse and reigning Challenge Cup champion Vietnam on July 5, 6:30 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
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