MANILA – Unless there will be changes in the future, Creamline Cool Smashers stars Alyssa Valdez and Julia Morado’s national women’s volleyball careers are likely over.
According to national team head coach Odjie Mamon, they will retain their current 25-member pool while forming the future Philippine team that will compete in international games.
The Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam and the Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship in the country are among the competitions the Philippine squad will compete in next year.
“There will be no changes with this 25-member lineup,” Mamon said during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum. “Kung may tournament na we need 14 players, it would come from that pool of players.”
“I think you have here in this lineup all the best volleyball players in the country,” he added.
Valdez and Morado were not invited to the national women’s volleyball team pool despite having competed in previous international tournaments such as the Asian and Southeast Asian Games.
“‘Yung absence ni Alyssa and Jia were out of my hands kasi hindi na ako ‘yung namili. With regards to the selection, it’s done,” Mamon explained.
Leading the said 25-player pool were Ilongga Abigail Marano, Aklanon Dell Palomata, Jaja Santiago, Mary Joy Baron, Mylene Paat, Iris Tolenada, Ria Meneses, Kalei Mau, Kianna Dy, Dawn Macandili, Tin Tiamzon, Rhea Dimaculangan, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, MJ Phillips, Kat Tolentino, Jema Galanza, and Deanna Wong.
Eya Laure, Faith Nisperos, Jennifer Nierva, Mhicaela Belen, Ivy Lacsina, Alyssa Solomon, Kamille Cal, Bernadette Pepito, and Imee Hernandez were also on the roster.
Brazilian Jorge Edson Souza de Brito – tapped to manage the national team in the next two years – stated that the team was formed based on youth and height.
“I need some fresh players, younger and taller,” said Souza de Brito in the same virtual forum. “We have a plan on how to make our national team taller and younger.”
The Philippines team pool, minus Santiago, were divided into two teams and will compete in the 2021 AVC Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship set on Oct. 1 to 7 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand./PN
