NU stars banner Phl Team in Asian Cup

The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) on Saturday, 6 August announced a young 14-member team that will see action in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Cup for Women set from August 21 to at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

The team is composed of 12 players from National University—Ivy Lacsina, Mhicaela Belen, Shaira Jardio, Evangeline Alinsug, Cess Robles, Sheena Toring, Jen Nierva, Nicole Mata, Alyssa Solomon, Camilla Lamina, Kamille Cal and Joyme Cagande.

Completing the team are Jelai Gajero of California Precision Sports and Trisha Genesis of Akari.

The women's national team coaching staff led by Brazilian Jorge Edson Souza de Brito and assistant coaches Karl Dimaculangan and Cherry Macatangay picked the members after a series of tryouts and scouting. Also in the coaching staff are trainer Jerome Guhit and physical therapist Grace Gomez.

As part of its preparations for the AVC Cup for Women, the team will play in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference semifinals, where Chinese-Taipei club KingWhale is also competing.

The nationals debut against Creamline on Monday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Nine of the top Asian teams—with the Philippines as the 10th squad as host—are taking part in the tournament's seventh edition which was originally scheduled for 2020 but was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Philippines is bracketed in Pool A with reigning champion China, South Korea, Iran, and Vietnam. Pool B is composed of 2018 runner-up Japan, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Chinese Taipai, and Australia.

The preliminaries are set from August 21 to 25 with the Philippines facing Vietnam on August 21, China on August 23, Iran on August 24 and South Korea on August 25, all scheduled at television prime time 7 p.m.

The top five teams from each pool will advance to the knockout quarterfinals set on August 27 with the semifinals set for August 28 and the qualification matches and final on August 29.

China won five of the tournament's six editions—Nakhon Ratchasima 2008, Taicang 2010, Shenzhen 2014, Vinh Phuc 2016, and Nakhon Ratchasima 2018. Thailand broke the streak in Almaty 2012.