MANILA – Four Western Visayas-based volleybelles were tapped to join Team Philippines in the 2023 Asian Volleyball Confederation Challenge Cup for Women slated in Indonesia this month.
Ilonggas Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Ma. Shaya Adorador and Roma Mae Doromal and Negrense Christine Joy Soyud were among the 14-player Philippine team roster released on Wednesday night.
The Passi City, Iloilo-native Maizo-Pontillas, who currently plays for Petro Gazz Angels in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) is considered as one of the veteran presences in the team after being called up to serve the country several times.
Bingawan-native Adorador of Foton Tornadoes, Iloilo City-native Doromal of Ateneo Blue Eagles and La Carlota, Negros Occidental-native Soyud of Akari Power Chargers were among the first timers to wear the country’s colors overseas.
Others called up to join the national squad were Blue Eagles’ Alexis Miner as well as Power Chargers’ Faith Nisperos, Michelle Cobb, Shiela Pineda, Erika Raagas and Ezra Madrigal.
Also set to deliver star power to the roster are Angels’ Djanel Cheng, PLDT High Speed Hitters’ Jules Samonte, and University of the East Lady Red Warriors’ Riza Nogales and Lia Pelaga.
Philippine women’s volleyball team head coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito is set to call the shots for the squad that is hoping to have a decent finish in the tournament despite being hastily formed.
Team Philippines, which is making a debut in the AVC Challenge Cup, is bracketed in Pool A along with Macau, which they will face on June 19, and host Indonesia, which they will tangle on June 20.
Defending champion Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, and Iran compose Pool B, while Australia and 2022 runner-up India are slated in Pool C and Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam are in Pool D.
The top two squads in each pool advance to the knockout semifinals round to be played on June 24, while the one-game championship is to be held on the next day./PN
