BY ABBY TORALBA
FOUR-TIME PVL finals MVP Jia De Guzman is excited to represent the country along with six other Creamline teammates, hoping the lessons they gained will come in handy when the national women’s volleyball team competes in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia next month.
While the veteran setter awaits her fate after applying in the Korean V-League, she is focusing on her national team duties, hoping to win a medal this time.
De Guzman, together with Mylene Paat, Majoy Baron, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, MJ Phillips, and Iris Tolenada have tried their luck in the KVL through a video application.
“I’m really just focusing on the national team kasi iyong next target namin is SEA Games and we’re really trying to get a podium finish,” De Guzman said.
De Guzman, 27, has been named to the squad along with skipper Alyssa Valdez, Diana Mae Carlos, Jema Galanza, Celine Domingo, Michele Gumabao and Kyla Atienza last Sunday.
“It’s actually a big reason why very motivated kami to train kasi almost half kami, half the team is Creamline,” the 5-foot-7 playmaker said.
“We also want to bring iyong mga natututunan namin sa conference and add more firepower from the other stars of the other teams. So excited kami to play with players from different teams.”
Joining the Creamline crew in the national team are holdovers Paat, Kat Tolentino, Kath Arado, and Dell Palomata and first-timers Cherry Nunag, Gel Cayuna and Glaudine Troncoso.
The Filipina belles are seeking to surpass their fourth-place finish in the last SEA Games and reach the podium after an 18-year medal drought.
