A MIX of professional and collegiate stars comprise the 14-person Alas Pilipinas women’s volleyball team bound for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Reigning UAAP Season 87 MVP and Capital1 spiker Bella Belen, Rookie of the Year Shaina Nitura, Angel Canino, Amie Provido, and Alyssa Solomon join the likes of veterans Jia De Guzman, Dawn Macandili-Catindig, Maddie Madayag, and Dell Palomata in the Philippine Olympic Committee list of athletes, as of Thursday.
READ: Bagunas, Espejo back to lead intact Alas Men lineup for SEA Games
Also in the POC’s delegation list - the first for volleyball since a leadership switch at the Philippine National Volleyball Federation ousted Ramon 'Tats' Suzara - are Vanie Gandler, Justine Jazareno, Eya Laure, Alleiah Malaluan, and Mars Alba.
Not in the final 14 in the POC list was three-time PVL MVP Brooke Van Sickle, who was recently adjudged as the Reinforced Conference MVP in Petro Gazz' title-winning campaign. She was reportedly part of the pool that was submitted to the Thailand SEA Games Organizing Committee, as told by incoming PNVF president Tony Boy Liao.
Notably absent from Alas’ regular pool over the past two years are former La Salle champion middle blockers Fifi Sharma of Akari and Thea Gagate of ZUS Coffee, along with Capital1 opposite hitter Leila Cruz.
Incoming Far Eastern University sophomore winger Cla Loresco also did not make the cut despite being a regular in several regional tournaments earlier this year.
Three-time UAAP champion and two-time Best Setter Lams Lamina was likewise excluded, as was fellow former National University standout Jen Nierva.
From the 20-player pool initially released by the PNVF, veterans such as Kat Tolentino, MJ Phillips, and Thang Ponce were among those who ultimately missed out on spots in the final roster.
Alas Pilipinas coached by Jorge Souza de Brito is out to take a podium finish in the SEA Games following losses in the bronze medal match for four straight editions.
It was in 2005 when the Philippines last won a medal – a bronze – in women’s volleyball.
Thailand has won the SEA Games gold for the 14 editions.
Alas Women SEA Games schedule
Looking to halt a two-decade podium drought, the Philippines’ medal quest kicks off in Group A where they will first face host nation Thailand on Dec. 11, followed by Singapore on Dec. 12.
A top-two finish in the three-team group will secure a semifinal berth, where one of the top-performing teams from Group B will await in the battle for a finals spot.
Group B is composed of Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar, making it another challenging path toward the medal rounds.
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