Jia De Guzman feels immense pride as Alas Pilipinas not only secured a semifinal berth in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup but also completed a dominant sweep of Pool A.
Alas Pilipinas entered the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup with little time to prepare and even fewer expectations of becoming title contenders.
However, what the Filipinas lacked in preparation, they more than compensated for with heart, grit, and an indomitable team spirit.
The Philippines then aced one daunting challenge after another, scaling Australia, fending off India, blowing past Iran, and then completing an emphatic sweep of Pool A with a rout of Chinese Taipei on Sunday night.
So, it should not come as a surprise that Alas captain Jia De Guzman, undeniably the heart and soul of the team, could not help but swell with pride for what the team has achieved so far.
“Feels great sobrang proud ako sa naabot ng team namin. Hindi madali ang pinagdaanan namin,” De Guzman gushed.
What began as a campaign fraught with challenges has transformed into a historic run.
Alas Pilipinas have not only defied expectations but also redefined them, advancing to the semifinals of an Asian Volleyball Confederation tournament for the first time in 63 years.
This feat also ensures the country's best finish in the Challenge Cup, surpassing last year's seventh-place result.
For De Guzman, she once again attributed this success to the team's depth and the solid blend of youthful vigor and veteran experience.
“I think, like what we’ve mentioned, we have a good mix of young players and veterans na sobrang naba-balance ang isa’t isa. It’s a good blend of fire, energy, and composure, like I’ve said before,” she shared.
“The bench is pretty deep. So, kahit sino sa amin ready pumasok, ready mag deliver kahit si Julia Coronel as a setter. It’s good for us kasi at least we’re a bit more unpredictable para sa kalaban.”
As Alas Pilipinas head into the crossover semifinals, where they will face Pool B's second-seed Kazakhstan on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., they do so with a wave of momentum and a nation behind them.
“So, ‘yun, tina-try namin i-maintain [‘yung good balance] hanggang sa dulo, and learn from our past games din kasi good training ground talaga ‘yung elimination round for us, so hopefully better results kami going into the next round,” De Guzman said.
She then added, “Alam namin hindi magiging madali ‘yung pagdadaanan namin in the future kasi ibang level na rin ang semifinals. So, we’re just going in with a positive mindset.”