The Philippine national volleyball team, led by Alyssa Solomon, Thea Gagate, and Niña Ytang, is gearing up for a challenging Southeast Asian Volleyball Cup (SEA V Cup) Leg 1 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The team, known as Alas, is comprised of experienced players who have shown their determination to carry the country's flag, even in the face of adversity. Returning to the team are Bella Belen and Vanie Gandler of Capital1, Choco Mucho's Eya Laure and Dawn Catindig, PLDT's Dell Palomata, Akari's Justine Jazareno and Fifi Sharma, and Creamline's Jen Nierva and Jia de Guzman.
Other key players joining the team are Akari's Mars Alba, Capital1's Erika Santos, Galeries Tower's Lams Lamina, Vangie Alinsug, and Celine Marsh. However, La Salle's Angel Canino and Amie Provido have surprisingly opted out of this squad.
Alas will take on Asian powerhouse Thailand on Saturday and Indonesia on Sunday, with only 14 of the 16 players set to participate. The team, mentored by Japanese coach Taka Minowa, aims to prepare for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi, Japan, this September.
The Philippine team is also scheduled to compete in Leg 2 of the SEA V Cup, which will take place in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from August 7-9.
