The Army will not have a lot of veterans out for the All-Filipino Conference, but the Troopers are ready to step up.
It's going to be a tough crawl for the Philippine Army Lady Troopers.
Captain Jovelyn Gonzaga will be skipping the 2023 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference, which starts February 4, as she focuses her attention on beach volleyball for this year's Southeast Asian Games.
Team manager Sha Torres confirmed the development to One Sports on Wednesday.
"Walang problema sa amin. Ang ano lang namin, kung saan siya masaya," new head coach Randy Fallorina said. "Kung saan tayo makakatulong, doon na lang tayo muna."
"Actually, natutuwa lang din kami lahat na makakapaglaro, makakabalik siya sa beach volleyball."
Gonzaga had recently come off a win in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour in Subic with Sisi Rondina as a last-minute substitution, since Sisi's partner, Bernadeth Pons, suffered a shoulder injury.
It's not just the Bionic Ilongga though. The Army will also miss the services of middle blocker Mary Jean Balse-Pabayo, who will undergo treatment, along with injured opposite hitters Jem Gutierrez and Joanne Bunag.
But since they are the soldiers that they are, the squad is ready with the next trooper up. Gelai Nunag, who has been a top digger for the Lady Troopers in the past two conferences, will be leading the Army.
Even Fallorina, who took over from Coach Kungfu Reyes, is carrying a lot of duties as he also works as an assistant coach for the Army in the Spikers' Turf, which will start on January 22.
The Lady Troopers got their best finish last year at fifth place during the Invitational Conference, but dropped to ninth in the Reinforced Conference.
"Siguro mental toughness ang kailangan mo. Lumaban kahit nada-down ka na," opposite hitter Honey Royse Tubino tells One Sports. "Kahit kulang sa tao, sa teammates, lalaban at lalaban si Army. Lalaban kami."