PNVF reveals national volleyball team pool for SEA Games

The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) on Wednesday announced the composition of the four national teams that will see action in the 31st Southeast Asian Games this November.

Veterans Aby Maraño, Jaja Santiago, Majoy Baron and Mylene Paat lead the indoor women’s team and will be joined by youngsters in Eya Laure, Faith Nisperos, Imee Hernandez, Ria Meneses, Ivy Lacsina and Jennifer Nierva.

Completing the squad are Iris Tolenada, Kamille Cal, Michaela Belen, Alyssa Solomon, Dell Palomata, and Bernadette Pepito.

"They (coaches) gave us the list so once we approved the names in the national team's commission, we submitted it to the executive board yesterday," shared national team's commission chairman Tonyboy Liao in a press conference today.

Meanwhile, its men counterpart was hardly changed as holdovers from the previous team that won the silver medal in the 2019 edition of the biennial meet are still intact.

Mainstays Jessie Lopez, Joshua Retamar, Mark Alfafara, Marck Espejo, Bryan Baguna, Josh Umandal, John Vic de Guzman, Rex Intal, Kim Malabunga, Francis Saura, and Ricky Marcos made it to the pool following the three-day tryout last month.

Completing the pool are Kim Dayadante, Ish Polvorosa, Angelo Almedras, Ysay Marasigan, Joeven Dela Vega, John Paul Bugaoan, Lloyd Josafat, Jack Kaligking and Manuel Sumanguid.

The federation also confirmed the members of the beach volleyball team for both men’s and women’s division.

The duo of Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons is still at the helm of the 10-man pool and will be joined by Baby Love Barbon, Genesa Jane Eslapor, Dzi Gervacio, Floremel Rodriguez, Marry Rose Jauculan, Jennifer Cosas, Alexa Polidario, and Erjane Magdato.

Men’s beach volleyball squad, on the other hand, will be bannered by Anthony Lemuel Arbasto, Jude Garcia, Jaron Requinton, James Buytrago, Philip Bagalay, Alnakran Abdilla, Jade Becaldo, Calvin Sarte, Henry James Pecana, and AJ Pareja. —Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News