Kapitana Jia de Guzman asks fans to "trust the process" for Alas Pilipinas.
Alas Pilipinas team captain Jia de Guzman has only one plea to the Filipino nation heading to the FIVB Women’s Volleyball Challenger Cup that kicks off today.
“Tiwala. 🇵🇭.”
The 2023 AVC Women’s Challenge Cup Best Setter made this remark on X, formerly Twitter, after last-minute role changes surrounding the squad, with Choco Mucho’s Cherry Nunag switching from her a middle blocker to now second-string libero, and Creamline superstar and newcomer Jema Galanza going back to her natural open hitter position from previously listed as a libero.
Wary of the sudden change of positions, De Guzman emphasized that “tough decisions are not made for nothing,“ whether the reasons behind them are known or not.
Head coach Jorge Souza De Brito reiterated that the switching in roles between Galanza and Nunag is a matter of minimizing adjustment and could be a flexible move for their debut match against powerhouse and reigning Challenge Cup champion Vietnam tomorrow.
"More options against Vietnam. We lost two key players. We [are] trying to minimize [adjustments in] our system. In fact, Cherry is helping the team a lot as a libero." De Brito told One Sports.
[ALSO READ: Jema Galanza back to spiker position, Cherry Nunag to play libero role for for Alas Pilipinas]
Alas Pilipinas face an acid test against regional rivals Vietnam with a spot in the semifinal round up for grabs tomorrow at 6:30 p.m.
Only one of the eight participating countries — including Argentina, Belgium, Czech Republic, Kenya, Puerto Rico, and Sweden — will advance for a spot in the prestigious Volleyball Nations League next year.
Against their Southeast Asian rivals, the Nationals are expected to rely on De Guzman and AVC Women’s Challenge Cup Best Opposite Spiker Angel Canino alongside Thea Gagate, Fifi Sharma, Sisi Rondina, Vanie Gandler, Faith Nisperos, Arah Panique, Julia Coronel, Dell Palomata and newcomer and two-time UAAP champion Bella Belen.
[ALSO READ: FIVB Volleyball Challenger Cup: Alas Pilipinas schedule, where to watch, and everything else you need to know]