JIA DE GUZMAN — AVC

CREAMLINE recently received news that should reinvigorate the proud franchise and send shivers down the opponents’ spines — veteran setter Julia “Jia” de Guzman is returning.

“I’m going back to Creamline,” said the courageous Alas Pilipinas team captain in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex where she was accompanied by coach Jorge de Brito and teammate Dell Palomata.

Ms. De Guzman’s impending comeback should be a breath of fresh air for a team that is raring to bounce back from a runner-up finish in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference last April.

The 30-year-old eight-time PVL best setter stressed she’s happy her mother club understands that her priority right now is the national team, which recently captured a historic silver in the AVC Nations Cup in Hanoi, Vietnam a few days back.

“I went to a team that knows that I have responsibilities also for the flag,” she said.

Ms. De Guzman last played for Creamline two years ago in the Invitational Conference where they succumbed to Japanese guest team Kurashiki Ablaze in the finale before she brought her talents to Japan for the Denso Airybees where she played for two seasons.

“Right now, I’m very grateful because they’re allowing me to focus entirely on Alas Pilipinas because we know that we have a responsibility to the country also so I’m grateful to Creamline,” she said.

Ms. De Guzman said they would fly back to Vietnam soon to join in the VTV Cup this month as well as the Southeast Asian V.League next month as part of their preparation for the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand in December. — Joey Villar