Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) – A few notable spikers have been excluded from the updated Philippine women’s volleyball team roster for the 31st Southeast Asian Games released by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation on Monday.
Kim Dy, Kalei Mau, Jia Morado, Jasmine Nabor, and Dindin Manabat have been dropped from the women’s indoor volleyball team after they declined invitations to join the national squad.
Middle blocker Majoy Baron was the latest addition to the squad that will be coached by Odjie Mamon and guided by veteran Brazilian mentor and Olympic champion Jorge Edson Souza De Brito.
The members of the women’s indoor team are Jaja Santiago, Alyssa Valdez, Mylene Paat, Aby Maraño, Kat Tolentino, Jema Galanza, Ces Molina, Ria Meneses, Dell Palomata, Iris Tolenada, Deanna Wong, Kat Arado, and Dawn Macandili.
They will head to Brazil for a two-week overseas camp starting April 12 as they will work to have a better performance from their fourth place finish in 2019.
In the men’s squad, Japan V.League imports Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo will not join their training camp starting March 20 in Qatar due to their continuing club commitments.
The Filipino male spikers’ head coach Dante Alinsunurin, however, said Bagunas and Espejo will be on board before the start of this year’s SEAG set from May 12-23 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
“Nag-usap na kami na by last week of April or first week of May, darating na po sila para makasabay sa training namin (We already talked that they will join our training by the last week of April or first week of May),” Alinsunurin said.
The Philippine men’s indoor volleyball team are up for a tough task in Vietnam as they seek to replicate or improve their historic silver medal finish in 2019 on home soil.
The squad’s players are Joshua Umandal, Mark Alfafara, John Vic De Guzman, Kim Malabunga, Francis Saura, Rex Intal, Joshua Retamar, Ish Polvorosa, Jessie Lopez, Ricky Marcos, Jack Kalingking, Ysay Marasigan, Joeven dela Vega, Angelo Almendras, John Paul Bugaoan, Lloyd Josafat, Manuel Sumanguid III, and Kim Dayandante.
On the other hand, the Philippine beach volleyball teams are expected to start their training camp in Australia this week in their bid to surpass their bronze medal finishes in 2019.
The female beach spikers are comprised of Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Nerissa Bautista, Dij Rodriguez, and Gen Eslapor. They are coached by Paul Jan Doloiras.
Jaron Requinton, James Buytrago, Anthony Arbasto, Jude Garcia, Alnakran Abdilla, and Philip Bagalay form part of the men’s beach volleyball team mentored by Rhovyl Verayo.
