Push Admin

Alyssa Valdez, Mika Reyes headline national team pool

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATED) Former Ateneo superstar Alyssa Valdez will join forces with collegiate rivals Mika Reyes and Abigail Maraño as they spearhead the group of volleyball players selected to represent the country in the Southeast Asian Games in August.Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. (LVPI) on Tuesday unveiled the 25-woman pool for the national volleyball team, who were selected following a series of nationwide tryouts.Valdez, a three-time UAAP Most Valuable Player, made the cut after attending the tryout in Davao last February 25.Also included are Reyes and Maraño, who starred for De La Salle University in college, and current La Salle setter Kim Fajardo, a teammate of Valdez in high school. National U&#x27;s Jaja Santiago, the leading MVP candidate in the UAAP Season 79 women&#x27;s volleyball tournament, made the pool along with older sister Dindin Santiago-Manabat.Philippine Superliga (PSL) standout Jovelyn Gonzaga, one of the best utility spikers in the country today, also made the list, along with former University of Santo Tomas superstar Aiza Maizo-Pontillas.Three-time NCAA MVP Grethcel Soltones is also part of the lineup.<div>The entire 25-woman pool is as follows:</div>1. Maddie Madayag 2. Kat Tolentino 3. Kianna Dy 4. Kim Fajardo 5. Dawn Macandili 6. Jaja Santiago 7. Lourdes Clemente 8. Denden Lazaro 9. Gen Casugod 10. Rachel Anne Daquis 11. Maika Ortiz 12. Dindin Manabat 13. Bia General 14. Rhea Dimaculangan 15. Aiza Pontillas 16. Roselle Baliton 17. Kath Arado 18. Ria Meneses 19. Alyssa Valdez 20. Myla Pablo 21. Mika Reyes 22. Elaine Kasilag 23. Jovelyn Gonzaga 24. Aby Marano 25. Grethcel SoltonesHead coach Francis Vicente made the announcement on Tuesday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Golden Phoenix Hotel.<ul class="op-related-articles" title="Read:">	<li>Read: <a href=" http://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/news/2017/03/13/player-week-majoy-baron-dlsu-23189">Player of the Week: Majoy Baron of DLSU </a></li></ul>Four of the players – Madayag, Tolentino, Dy and Macandili – did not attend any of the tryouts but nevertheless made the pool.&quot;Hand-picked sila,&quot; Vicente explained. &quot;I do understand na mayroon silang UAAP commitment.&quot;Vicente also defended his decision not to hand-pick Ateneo setter Jia Morado, who was the team&#x27;s playmaker in the 2015 SEA Games.&quot;Kapag sinama natin si Jia, ang dami na nating setter,&quot; he reasoned. &quot;May Rhea Dimaculangan ka na, may Kim Fajardo ka pa na naglaro sa world. &#x27;Yung Baliton, 6-foot-1. Because of the height, may advantage na &#x27;yung Pilipinas.&quot;The national team will also compete in the Asian Senior Women&#x27;s Volleyball Championship in Manila on August 9 to 17.(For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com" target="_blank">Sports website.</a>)

(UPDATED) Former Ateneo superstar Alyssa Valdez will join forces with collegiate rivals Mika Reyes and Abigail Maraño as they spearhead the group of volleyball players selected to represent the country in the Southeast Asian Games in August.

(UPDATED) Former Ateneo superstar Alyssa Valdez will join forces with collegiate rivals Mika Reyes and Abigail Maraño as they spearhead the group of volleyball players selected to represent the country in the Southeast Asian Games in August.