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Alas Pilipinas

Kennedy Caacbay

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil" src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171680838951120240526-avc-philippines-chinesetaipei-MD-3970.jpg" style="width:900px"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Alas Pilipinas. <em>Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>Former national team member Jaja Santiago was proud to see Alas Pilipinas overcome adversities amid the short preparation for the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup.</p><p>Santiago even asserted that this Jia de Guzman-led roster could even reach as far as VNL and the Olympics as she witnessed Alas sweep Pool A of the AVC tourney after a rousing 25-13, 25-21, 25-18 victory over Chinese Taipei on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Former national team member Jaja Santiago believes in the talent of Alas Pilipinas members and says she is proud of the squad. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AVCChallengeCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AVCChallengeCup</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABSCBNNews</a> <a href="https://t.co/M4UjnZNBPo">pic.twitter.com/M4UjnZNBPo</a></p>— Kennedy Caacbay (@kennedyzcaacbay) <a href="https://twitter.com/kennedyzcaacbay/status/1794724997807960280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2024</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script></div><p>&quot;We really have a big potential na eventually we&#x27;ll be in VNL or in Olympics. And with this kind of lineup, I think we can get that dream,&quot; Santiago told reporters.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/5/26/semis-bound-alas-pilipinas-sweeps-pool-a-of-avc-challenge-cup-1854"><strong>READ: Semis-bound Alas Pilipinas sweeps Pool A of AVC Challenge Cup</strong></a></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/5/25/avc-challenge-cup-alas-pilipinas-clinches-semis-spot-in-rout-of-iran-1813"><strong>READ: AVC Challenge Cup: Alas Pilipinas clinches semis spot in rout of Iran</strong></a></div><p>The former National University standout was out there raving about Alas Pilipinas&#x27; potential and said that she sees fire in this lineup and also a &quot;palaban&quot; heart as they embark on a volleyball journey on the international stage.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil" src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1716808449511be500ba638de8789617312ddb5465442.jpg" style="width:900px"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Volleyball star Jaja Santiago watches the Alas Pilipinas-Chinese Taipei battle in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on May 26, 2024. <em>Photo from Joaqui Flores/Premier Volleyball League</em></span></span></span></div><p>&quot;Everyone is palaban, actually, and makikita mo sa lahat na they&#x27;re really willing to give their best and puso to win every game and sa kanila — nakikita ko ngayon sa lineup na kahit ipasok, [may character na] &#x27;I will deliver&#x27;, &#x27;yun &#x27;yung maganda sa characteristic nung mga players ngayon,&quot; Santiago went on.</p><p>Santiago, who is also undergoing a naturalization process for a Japan citizenship, did not forget to praise the young guns such as Angel Canino and Thea Gagate who put up quality minutes for Alas in the preliminaries.</p><p>&quot;I think this is the youngest players [and] team and kahit bata, makikita mo, like [Angel] Canino, kahit sabihin natin this is her first time — and [Thea] Gagate, first time to play in the national team, you can see their willingness and like, deliver really well sa game.&quot;</p><p>Right on cue, the Philippine women&#x27;s national volleyball team moved up to No. 55 in the FIVB world rankings, also eighth in Asia after the perfect run in the prelims.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/5/26/alas-pilipinas-members-commend-jia-s-leadership-as-ph-enters-avc-challenge-cup-semis-448"><strong>READ: Alas Pilipinas members commend Jia de Guzman&#x27;s leadership as PH enters AVC Challenge Cup semis</strong></a></div><p>It was an eight-place jump for the nationals who were 63rd in rankings (12th in Asia) before this tournament.</p><p>For the acclaimed middle blocker, this squad can snatch the gold medal in the AVC Challenge Cup.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung thoughts ko sa Alas Pilipinas [sa] pagpasok sa semis, I think will be more stronger because itong start nila maganda na &#x27;yung pinakita nila and I think going to semifinals the connection [of the team] will be more stronger and they will deliver really, and I think they can be the champions really here in the AVC.&quot;</p><p>Kazakhstan will try to stop that campaign as they battle in a knockout match on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the semifinal round.<br id="isPasted"/> </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" frameBorder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LxzUNG_YZdo??si=NNGL2yUUN3ogGglt&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" width="640"></iframe></span></div>

<p>Former national team member Jaja Santiago was proud to see Alas Pilipinas overcome adversities amid short preparation for the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup.</p>

Former national team member Jaja Santiago was proud to see Alas Pilipinas overcome adversities amid short preparation for the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup.

VNL, Olympics a dream within reach for Alas Pilipinas, says Jaja Santiago

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VNL, Olympics a dream within reach for Alas Pilipinas, says Jaja Santiago

Kennedy Caacbay,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 27, 2024 07:50 PM PHT

Read More:

abssports

volleyball

women's volleyball

2024 AVC Challenge Cup

Alas Pilipinas

Jaja Santiago

Jia de Guzman

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