Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 27) – Filipino-American spiker Kalei Mau will play as an import of Puerto Rican professional squad Las Changas de Naranjito, the team announced on Tuesday.
The squad plays in the Liga de Voleibol Superior Femenino, a professional league organized by the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation.
Mau confirmed the move on Tuesday, promising that she will join F2 Logistics when the Premier Volleyball League opens in the middle of this year.
“I want you to hear it from me first that I will be playing abroad for a 2.5 month season. I plan to return to PH after this quick stint to compete in the PVL with my team F2 Cargo Movers,” said Mau on her social media account.
With her Puerto Rico stint, the 26-year-old outside hitter also said she will not participate in the national volleyball team tryouts in Subic scheduled on April 28-30.
She was one of the over 100 spikers invited for the bubble tryouts organized by new national volleyball body Philippine National Volleyball Federation, in preparation for the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam in November.
“I will not be able to attend the national team tryouts this week due to travel restrictions and safety risks. But my dream to play for the Philippine flag has and will not change,” she said.
Mau has been staying in the United States since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the cancellation of the Philippine Super Liga Grand Prix. F2 moved to the PVL in March as the PNVF seeks to have a unified professional volleyball league in the country.
🗣 ¡Kalei Mau – Pro Volley es nuestra nueva refuerzo para la venidera temporada!
Posted by Las Changas de Naranjito on Monday, April 26, 2021
