Tough loss for the Philippine national volleyball team
ANGEL Canino has been ruled out of the Alas Pilipinas squad for the 2024 Southeast Asian (SEA) V. League.
National team head coach Jorge Souza de Brito confirmed the development to SPIN.ph on Tuesday afternoon.
Questions were raised about Canino’s absence from the Alas squad photo upon their arrival in Kansai, Japan for their two-week training camp.
Her no-show for the nationals’ second overseas trip, however, was justified by the Brazilian shot-caller.
And it’s not due to any injury or miscommunications whatsoever.
“She has her duties with DLSU and we support her commitment there. Sure that we’d love if she could join WNT training camp, (but it’s) all good,” said de Brito.
Because of this, the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup best opposite spiker will miss both legs of the SEA V. League in Vietnam (Aug. 2 to 4) and Thailand (Aug. 9 to 11).
In her absence, National University ace Alyssa Solomon is all set for her national team debut after missing the last two tournaments alongside two incoming Fil-American aces in libero Tia Andaya and setter Hannah Stires.
Alas will shoot for its first podium finish in the regional meet since bagging back-to-back bronze medals in both legs of the inaugural 2019 edition in Thailand then on home soil.