Alas Pilipinas will have additional firepower with the addition of Creamline's Jema Galanza and NU's Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon.
Alas Pilipinas will have additional firepower as they prepare for the 2024 FIVB Women's Volleyball Challenger Cup, which will be held from July 4 to 7.
After their stellar campaign in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup, Alas Pilipinas added Creamline Cool Smashers star Jema Galanza, as well as National University’s star duo of Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon, to their pool of players.
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Team captain Jia de Guzman is excited with addition of the three, emphasizing that additional star power will prove to be a big help for the Philippines in their upcoming tournament.
“We’re grateful na reinforce pa kami lalo kasi we had a very good lineup nung AVC [Challenge Cup], and we’re welcoming every help that we can get,” de Guzman told reporters after Alas Pilipinas’ meet and greet at the Mall of Asia Arena during the Manila leg of the Volleyball Nations League.
“Grabe din ‘yung experience nung tatlo [Galanza, Belen, and Solomon] and we’re hoping na madagdagan pa kami para in the long run mas malalim ‘yung bench namin,” she added.
Galanza, Belen, and Solomon were part of the initial Alas Pilipinas pool for the AVC Challenge Cup. However, the three decided to beg off from national team duties after winning the PVL and UAAP titles, respectively.
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As they prepare for their do-or-die match against Vietnam in the FIVB Women's Volleyball Challenger Cup, de Guzman is hoping that their longer preparation will bear fruit.
“We’re doing our best to prepare well kasi sure naman kami na Vietnam ang makakalaban namin, so we’ve seen them play in person during the AVC [Challenge Cup],” said de Guzman.
“We’re just taking it a day at a time, taking advantage of ‘yung preparation namin this time compared nung AVC, so hopefully, better results,” she added.