BRONZE SA ALAS PILIPINAS

SA KAUNA-UNAHANG pagkakataon sa continental level ay nakakuha ang Pilipinas ng podium finish sa women’s volleyball.

Nakopo ng Alas Pilipinas, na binubuo ng Premier Volleyball League at UAAP standouts, ang bronze sa AVC Challenge Cup for Women makaraang dominahin ang Australia, 25-23, 25-15, 25-7, kahapon sa Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

“It feels surreal. Kasi actually, I think it’s going to take a while for it to sink in kasi we went in this game not expecting anything. We went and we’re not expecting anything and now we’re going home with a medal,” sabi ni veteran playmaker Jia de Guzman.

“It’s been years, decades since the last medal, so sobrang thankful lang talaga kami. We’re really hopeful, we’re looking forward to more preparations for the upcoming tournaments that we will play in kasi kung ganito yung napakita namin ngayon, we just hope na now we just keep improving and move up,” dagdag pa niya.

“It’s playing with everyone in the team. As in. I’m just really blessed to be able to play with such talented girls from different generations, a very talented coaching staff, sobrang thankful ko lang talaga na I was given the opportunity to be the leader of this team, it was such a great team.”

Bumawi si Eya Laure, nalimitahan sa tatlong puntos lamang ng Kazakhstan sa straight-set semifinals loss noong Martes ng gabi, sa stellar performance para sa breakthrough victory ng Pilipinas.

Nakarekober ang Volleyroos mula sa 11-18 deficit sa first set, dumikit sa 23-24, subalit umiskor si Sisi Rondina mula sa  back row upang kunin ang set para sa Alas.

Mula roon ay hindi na maawat ang  Nationals.

“Really, I’m happy and I’m grateful. I have no words to express how happy I am and also, not for myself only, I told these guys in the beginning, they deserve a lot. They really deserve it,” wika ni coach Jorge Souza de Brito.

“They fight every single day, since they are really young to make history here, and now history has been made because of them, because they trusted themselves today, they came. I’m happy because of that.

“I’m happy because it was here that we got a medal, here, inside our place, our home, our venue, in front of everyone. So I’m really happy that we get to celebrate with everyone,” dagdag pa ng Brazilian mentor.

Sumandal ang Alas sa outside-opposite tandem nina Laure at Angel Canino para sa runaway 25-15 result sa second set. Pagkatapos ay pinangunahan nina Laure at Thea Gagate ang koponan sa commanding 16-6 lead sa third set. Hanggang press time ay naglalaban pa ang Vietnam at Kazakhstan para sa gold.

CLYDE MARIANO