MANILA, Philippines — Eight-time PVL Best Setter Jia Morado-De Guzman verbally committed to playing for the national team in the upcoming AVC Challenge Cup slated here in Manila this month.
De Guzman, who is back from a stint with the Denso Airybees in the Japan V. League 1, where they finished fifth, told the media on Sunday evening that she will be returning to the Nationals for the first time since the 2023 Southeast Asian Games.
“Yes, I’m going to play in the upcoming AVC Challenge Cup and I know, very little preparation but we’re going to give our best despite that,” said De Guzman, who was at the Big Dome to watch her former PVL team Creamline battle Choco Mucho in the finals.
“All the time naman, ready to step up for the flag, so excited ako to play for the Philippines again.”
The Philippine National Volleyball Federation has yet to release the final lineup for the competition set for May 22 to 29 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
There, they will go up against teams like Chinese Taipei, India, Iran and Australia in Pool A.
De Guzman last played in the Challenge Cup back in 2022, with the Creamline Cool Smashers. There, they finished 6th.
The Philippines also competed in the 2023 edition of th e competition with players from the Akari Chargers. They placed seventh among 11 participating nations.
MANILA, Philippines — Chery Tiggo pulled off a comeback for the ages in a nail-biting 16-25, 11-25, 25-13, 25-22, 18-16 victory Sunday to stay in the battle for third place in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Eya Laure was the fuel that kept the machine going for the Crossovers as she unloaded 26 points, including key hits in the final three sets when they staged a monumental fightback from what looked like a hopeless two-set deficit.
Petro Gazz, who seized the opener, 22-25, 25-12, 25-18, 27-29, 15-12, Thursday, had all the chances to slit Chery Tiggo’s jugular when it seized a commanding 2-0 set upper hand.
The Crossovers were given up for dead in that stage but found the will and mustered the courage to claw their way out of the grave and mount one of the greatest rallies of this conference.
It started with a third-s et win.
They followed it up with a fourth.
And finally, when things were bleak after trailing, 8-6, in the deciding set, the Crossovers had the last wind to set up the one run that sealed the deal, knot the series at 1-1 and force a deciding Game Three Tuesday.
“Redemption ng team, pam-boost ng morale,” said Chery Tiggo coach Kungfu Reyes. “Pinaguusapan dito pride, alam namin na kaya naming simulan, kaya naming humabol.”
Mylene Paat chipped in 15 hits while Shaya Adorador came off the bench to contribute 10 points.
Jasmine Nabor had her moments too as she had 11 sets and nine points, some came when her team needed it most late in the duel.
Brooke Van Sickle was lethal again with a match-high 30 points while Jonah Sabete had 18 but didn’t have anything left in the tank late to avert an excruciatingly painful collapse.