Alyssa Solomon was among the several players who joined Alas Pilipinas’ practice for the upcoming 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
With a few weeks to go before the biennial meet, Alas Pilipinas, through its social media pages, shared that the star opposite spiker has returned to Manila from Japan to train with the national team despite her ongoing SV.League season with the Osaka Marvelous.
Cignal and Capital1 standouts like Bella Belen, Leila Cruz, Vanie Gandler, and Dawn Catindig will now also get to fully focus on the SEA Games after their respective teams have been eliminated in the PVL Reinforced Conference quarterfinals.
Alas Pilipinas coach Jorge Souza De Brito, who also calls the shots for Capital1, remains optimistic that they can end the Philippines’ 20-year SEA Games medal drought in women’s volleyball despite the lack of preparation time.
‘We always hope for a medal finish. They are more motivated by the last results we got, against the teams we know that are going to play. Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia. Of course, not talking about confidence. We would like to train much better,’ De Brito told reporters.
‘And I’m really sorry because, again, even if you get the medal, you guys will start a news, ‘Even lacking a time of preparation.’ This has to stop. Try to find another way to talk about Alas. Even with a lack of preparation, the players have to find time to prepare. That’s it.’
Also part of the team are Jia De Guzman, Eya Laure, and Maddie Madayag, as well as UAAP stars Angel Canino, Shaina Nitura, and Amie Provido.
PLDT’s Dell Palomata and Alleiah Malaluan and Akari’s Mars Alba, Justine Jazareno, and Fifi Sharma are still playing in the PVL, which stages the semifinals beginning Thursday and either the battle for third or the winner-take-all final on Sunday.
Alas is slotted in Pool A, facing Thailand on December 11 and Singapore the next day at Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok.