Key losses: Krisitina Manlapaz, Alex Salvaloza
Key holdovers: Cath Almazan, Krizzia Reyes, Jennifer Omapas
Season 98 record: 1-8
Emilio Aguinaldo College showed a lot of promise in the previous season and heading to a brand new campaign in the NCAA Season 99 women's volleyball tournament, the Lady Generals will use that as a springboard as they vie against the nine other teams.
Leading that crusade are veterans Cath Almazan, Krizzia Reyes, and Jennifer Omapas — the leading scorers for the Lady Generals back in Season 98 where they finished with a 1-8 record.
"Last year nakita namin na kaya naman talaga namin kaso nakulangan lang sa mental toughness," the 23-year-old Omapas told GMA News Online.
"Ngayon, ‘yung plan namin is gamitin namin ‘yun as inspiration namin kasi may benchmark na kami and dadagdagan na lang namin ‘yun para malampasan namin ‘yung benchmark namin."
(Last year, we saw that we can be competitive but we lacked mental toughness. Now, our plan is to use that as an inspiration because we now have a benchmark and we will just add on it so we can exceed that.)
Grizzled outside hitter Almazan was the top offensive weapon for EAC head coach Rodrigo Palmero last year, collecting 102 points built on 87 attacks, seven blocks, and eight aces and she's once again expected to take the scoring cudgels in Season 99.
Reyes and Omapas, both in their fourth playing year, are tipped to provide the needed backup. The 5-foot-3 Reyes was the second leading scorer for EAC with 76 total points while the 5-foot-7 Omapas followed suit with 73.
Veteran setter Anne Formento will head the playmaking with middle blocker Jamaica Villena manning the net as they lead other holdovers Dhariance Gallardez, Georgeena Lut, Rhea Magalona, and Alessandra Razonable.
Newcomers Trisha Brutas, Christine Cordial, Karyle De Andres, Trisha Mortel, Jaed Sayago, and Freddie Orendain, meanwhile, will make their NCAA debut.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
