Alyssa Valdez, other vets and newcomers make up Alas’ AVC pool

Alyssa Valdez leads Alas Pilipinas’ 21-woman pool for the AVC Women’s Cup in Candon City, Ilocos Sur.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Old guards Alyssa Valdez, Jov Gonzaga, and Ces Molina reunite as part of the Alas Pilipinas pool to lead Trisha Tubu and other newcomers ahead of the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women’s Cup from June 6 to 14 in Candon City.

The Philippine National Volleyball Federation on Tuesday announced its 20-woman pool. It will also be a reunion of sorts for coach Shaq Delos Santos, who coached Valdez, Gonzaga and Molina in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

“We’re very, very humbled and excited to be part of the national team again, and we’re just looking forward to learning more and definitely representing the country with pride,” said Valdez, who attended the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum with Molina, Gonzaga and Niña Ytang.

READ: Alyssa Valdez joins Alas Pilipinas training ahead of AVC tilt

Besides the seasoned trio, Ara Galang got a chance to fight for the flag with fellow Farm Fresh veteran Royse Tubino.

Tubu, PVL’s five-time conference Best Opposite Spiker, is also part of the training pool, with a chance to play internationally for the first time.

Creamline champion players Tots Carlos, Kyle Negrito, and Kyla Atienza were also called up and already trained with the squad, which includes ZUS Coffee libero Alyssa Eroa, setter Clo Mondoñedo, and Thea Gagate, part of the Alas program in the past two years.

PVL draftee and University of the Philippines’ four-time Best Middle Blocker Ytang led the collegiate players with Far Eastern University’s Tin Ubaldo, Jaz Ellarina, and Alas mainstay Cla Loresco, Letran troika Lara Mae Silva, Vanessa Sarie, and Natalie Estreller, and Adamson’s Lhouriz Tuddao.

READ: Alas Pilipinas withdrawals, De Brito case rock PNVF

The team will stay and train together in Candon starting next week.

The Philippines is slated in Pool A with Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Australia, and Uzbekistan. Defending champion Vietnam headlines Pool B with Kazakhstan, Iran, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Lebanon.

In the past two AVC Women’s Cups, Alas earned a breakthrough bronze medal in 2024 at Rizal Memorial Coliseum, then reached the championship last year before falling to the host and defending champion Vietnam.

Alas had to undergo a major rebuild after Jia De Guzman, Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, Angel Canino, and the core of the previous national team begged off. Delos Santos will handle the team for now, as coach Tai Bundit continues to recover from an accident in Bangkok.