MANILA – Four Western Visayas-based players were named as part of the women’s indoor and beach volleyball for the 31st Southeast Asian Games that will open this week in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Passi, Iloilo-native Abigail Palmares Maraño and Batan, Aklan-native Dell Juanico Palomata were among the 14 players in the national women’s indoor volleyball team.
Maraño has been a fixture in the national team and has suited up in the SEA Games several times, while this will be Palomata’s first time to play in the biennial games.
Also part of the indoor team were Alyssa Valdez, Jaja Santiago, Mary Joy Baron, Kat Tolentino, Mylene Paat, Marivic Meneses, Frances Molina and Jessica Galanza.
Completing the national volleyball squad, which is to be handled by Odjie Mamon and Jorge Edson Souza de Brito, were Iris Tolenada Kathleen Arado, Dawn Macandilli and Kyle Negrito.
The national women’s volleyball team were looking to improve on their fourth and last place finish during the 30th Southeast Asian Games held in the country last 2019.
Negrense Bernadeth Pons and Guimarasnon Jovelyn Gonzaga, meanwhile, will form part of the national women’s beach volleyball team in the biennial sporting event.
The Talisay City-native Pons and Guimaras-native Gonzaga will complete the 4-player beach volleyball squad along with Cherry Ann Rondina and Floremel Rodriguez.
Serving as women’s beach volleyball team head coach is Paul Jan Doloiras of the UST beach volleyball team with Romnick Rico serving as his assistant.
With Pons and Rondina at the forefront, the Philippine women’s beach volleyball team snagged a bronze medal finish in the 2019 SEA Games held in the country./PN
