Alas Pilipinas at the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Women

Philippine national volleyball team Alas Pilipinas will compete in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Women which will be held at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on May 22-29.

Here are the things you need to know about the team's participation:

Lineup

The team is composed of Premier Volleyball League and collegiate standouts, with Jia De Guzman serving as the team captain.

Alas Pilipinas will have PVL standouts Sisi Rondina, Jen Nierva, Dawn Macandili-Catindig, Eya Laure, Faith Nisperos, Fifi Sharma, Vanie Gandler, Dell Palomata, and Cherry Nunag and UAAP standouts Angel Canino, Thea Gagate, Julia Coronel of De La Salle University and National University rookie Arah Panique.

Jorge Souza de Brito is the head coach of the national team.

Schedule and results

The Philippines is grouped in Pool A of the event.

• May 23, 7:00 p.m. -- Alas Pilipinas vs. Australia (Alas Pilipinas wins: 22-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-21)
• May 24, 7:00 p.m. -- Alas Pilipinas vs. India (Alas Pilipinas wins: 22-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-18)
• May 25, 7:00 p.m. -- Alas Pilipinas vs. Iran (Alas Pilipinas wins: 25-16, 25-13, 25-15)
• May 26, 7:00 p.m. -- Alas Pilipinas vs. Chinese Taipei (Alas Pilipinas wins: 25-13, 25-21, 25-18)

Pool B, meanwhile, is composed of Vietnam, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Hong Kong.

With a sweep of Pool A, Alas Pilipinas advanced to the semifinals, but fell to  Kazakhstan. 

RESULT | Gutsy Alas Pilipinas falls to Kazakhstan in AVC semis

Due to the loss, Alas Pilipinas will play Australia in the bronze medal match.

Government support

In Memorandum Circular No. 49 released by Malacañang Palace on May 13, government agencies and instrumentalities are ordered to support the hosting of the event, along with other international volleyball events to be held here in the country such as the Volleyball Nations League in June, the Volleyball World Challenge Cup, the Southeast Asian Volleyball League and the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour-Challenge.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News