The Capital1 Solar Strikers. Handout photo.MANILA — Capital1 is set to break barriers anew as they will be bringing their act to the football scene.

From the heart of volleyball, the Romero sisters – Milka and Mandy – will now be heading into the PFF Women’s League through their newest squad, the Capital1 Solar Strikers.

“It has always been my dream to give back to the football community that helped shape me in the past 20 years of being an athlete,” Milka said on Tuesday of their second professional team next to the Solar Spikers in the Premier Volleyball League.

“I especially want to empower women in sports because ang daming talented athletes na kailangan lang ng right opportunity para mag-excel,” added the former Ateneo women’s football team co-captain. “It’s time to help the next generation reach their dreams, and I’m excited to be part of that journey.

Her younger sister Mandy also mirrored her sentiments.

“As we mark our first year in women’s volleyball with the Capital1 Solar Spikers, we are more committed than ever to expanding opportunities for Filipina athletes,” said Mandy.

“That’s why we’re stepping into professional women’s football — not just to build a team, but to be part of the movement pushing women’s sports forward,” she added.

In hopes of getting off to a dream start, the Romeros also announced that multi-titled Far Eastern University coach Let Dimzon will be calling the shots for a team that will be a good mix of young and veterans.

For the locals, the former PH team coach is pinning her hopes on Judie Arevalo, Yasmin Elauria, Regine Rebosura, and Hazel Lustan, and Lyka Teves.

Lustan is a dynamic midfielder who earned a spot on the UAAP Season 79 Mythical Team in 2017 and was named PFF Women’s League Best Midfielder in 2018. She has represented the Philippines in international competitions, including the 2019 Southeast Asian Games and the 2024 ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championship.

Teves is a deadly scorer out of De La Salle University, small wonder she emerged as one of the star strikers in the 2023 PFF Women’s League. She was the proud owner of 18 goals and her contributions have been instrumental in DLSU’s competitive performances in recent seasons.

An exceptional goalkeeper, Elauria earned the Best Goalkeeper award in the 2023 PFF Women’s League, UAAP Season 87, and the United Women’s Invitational Football League. Her contributions to guarding the goal have helped FEU’s success in recent years.

In addition, the team, the Romeros said, will also be reinforced by several top-notch foreign players, including Emma Young and Arianna Del Moral.

Young is a standout defender for Mississippi College, the reason why she was named the 2021 GSC Defensive Player of the Year and a United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-American. A three-time First-Team All-GSC honoree, she made 80 appearances, playing over 6,000 minutes and earning multiple All-Region and Academic accolades.

Del Moral, meanwhile, is also a welcome addition, with her versatility at midfield plus a wealth of experience playing in both U.S. and Maltese football leagues. She has played for Minnesota Aurora, the University of Minnesota, and St. Cloud State.