Rachel Anne Daquis named captain of PSL squad to Women's World Club meet

RACHEL Anne Daquis has been named team captain of the PSL Manila squad that will compete in the Women's Club World Championship set October 18 to 23 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The 28-year old outside hitter was chosen over seven imports and six other local players, namely Jovelyn Gonzaga, Jaja Santiago, Mika Reyes, Kim Fajardo, Ces Molina and Jen Reyes.

"Title 'yung pagiging team captain pero para sa akin it's more on a responsibility as an ate sa kanila," said Daquis. "'Di ko tine-take 'yun as kaya ako captain kasi ako ang pinakamagaling."

Six of the seven imports have attended practice, with Stephanie Niemer and Lindsay Stalzer from the USA, Tichaya Boonlert of Thailand, Ekaterina Krivets of Russia, Yevgeniya Nyukalova of Ukraine and Yuri Fukuda of Japan suiting up.

Linda Morales from Puerto Rico skipped training as she has yet to recover from jet lag.

Daquis was a member of the Philippine team that competed in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Women's Club Championship last year.

"Syempre unang-una para sundin ka nila respeto din sa kanila ang ibibigay mo, pero hindi mo naman kailangan magpasunod ng imports, 'yung task mo is i-guide sila sa team," she said.

"'Di dahil team captain ka pagagalitan mo sila, hindi ganoon it's more of setting an example," she said.

Source: Mei-Lin Lozada of Spin.ph

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Philippine Super Liga to send team to tournament in Thailand

THE Philippine Superliga has been invited by the Volleyball Thailand League to compete in a three-nation club tournament in Bangkok next year.

The PSL has confirmed participation in the tournament set March 22 to 28 but has yet to decide whether to send its champion team or a selection.

Among those being considered are Rachel Anne Daquis, Dindin Manabat and Aby Marano of Petron, Jaja Santiago of Foton, Cha Cruz of Meralco, Maika Ortiz of RC Cola-Air Force, Michele Gumabao and Lindsay Dowd of Philips Gold and Jheck Dionela of Cignal.

A team from Vietnam will also see action in the week-long event.

PSL president Ramon Suzara said on Monday organizers are offering a huge prize pot to make sure the tournament will be very competitive.

Suzara also said the deputy managing director of the television and marketing partner of the Asian Volleyball Confederation is coming over to watch Game One of the PSL Grand Prix best-of-three finals between Foton and Petron on Thursday at the Cuneta Astrodome. 

Siam Inter Multimedia (SMMTV) is the AVC’s partner for the next four years and will also cover the three-nation tournament in Thailand.

"Mr. Prajaya Chaiyakam will be coming over to personally witness how we run things here in the PSL," said Suzara, who got a fresh mandate as marketing and development committee chairman of the AVC in an election last week in Saudi Arabia.

"This is a very exciting opportunity not only to us, but also to the players and our national federation, LVPI (Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc.), as well for we will be given another major exposure that we can use in establishing our own volleyball program. We're all excited to be part of this endeavor."

Aside from the three-nation tourney, the PSL is also expected to enter the Grand Prix champion in the AVC Asian Women's Club Championship which the country will host in September.

The PSL is also hoping to field a team in the FIVB World Women's Club Championship, which could also be staged in the country in October. 

"We have a lot of international tournaments in the pipeline. Since the stakes are high, we are expecting this finals battle between Fotonand Petron to go down the wire,” said Suzara. 

Source: Spin.ph

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Jia Morado, Denden Lazaro out of PH team to Vietnam tournament; Daquis still uncertain

SETTER Jia Morado and libero Denden Lazaro will miss the VTV Invitational Cup women's volleyball tournament set in Vietnam from July 25 to August 1 due to varying reasons

Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. secretary-general Ricky Palou confirmed Morado, part of the Ateneo team that bagged back-to-back UAAP titles as well as the national teams that competed in the Asian U-23 and the Southeast Asian Games, will undergo surgery on her left knee.

"She has to undergo a minor operation on her knee and this will take her out of training for two to three months," said Palou on Tuesday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at Shakey's Malate.

"Ito kasi ‘yung injury na niya. I think may aalisin lang na isang screw sa tuhod niya and ‘yung mga ligaments and muscles naman sa tuhod niya ay okay naman kaya minor lang ang operation," he added.

Lazaro needs to focus on her studies in medical school, Palou said.

Rachel Anne Daquis, another member of the national women's volleyball team which saw action in the SEA Games in Singapore, also risks skipping the Vietnam tournament due to a long-scheduled trip to Canada.

However, Palou is not completely ruling out Daquis as she is looking to rebook her flight to Canada.

"Actually si Denden medyo busy din kasi pumapasok siya. Si Rachel sinusubukan pa kung pwedeng ma-rebook na lang ang flight niya to Canada. Baka sakaling makasama pa siya," Palou said.

After some reports came that he was out as head coach, Roger Gorayeb, Palou said, will continue to call the shots for the team with Thai Tai Bundit acting as his deputy.

Alyssa Valdez, Abigail Marano, skipper Jovelyn Gonzaga and Maika Ortiz have confirmed their intention to play. But other members of the SEA Games team have yet to do so, Palou said.

Source: Mei-Lin Lozada of Spin.ph

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SEA Games stint a dream come true for Super Liga MVP Rachel Anne Daquis

FOR all her achievements, Rachel Anne Daquis has yet to wear the country’s colors in the Southeast Asian Games.

That’s exactly the reason why the popular volleybball star considers it a dream come true that she’ll finally play for the Philippine women’s team in the Singapore edition of the biennial meet by next month.

The pretty spiker said vying for the gold medal in the Singapore showpiece would definitely be among the highlights as far as her stellar career is concerned.

(c) Dante Peralta

“Excited ako kasi dream ko ‘to as an athlete (na maglaro para sa bansa) at first time ko maglaro (sa SEA Games),” said Daquis, who played a key role in Petron's unbeaten run to the title in the Philippine Super Liga All Filipino Conference last Thursday.

“As an athlete ‘yun ang pinaka-dream mo,” she stressed.

The former Far Eastern University star has won four titles in the Super Liga including three with Philippines Army and she has three championships in the Shakey’s V-League, two of them with the Lady Troopers.

Daquis, adjudged as MVP of the recently-concluded Super Liga, likewise has a championship in the UAAP with the Lady Tamaraws.

“Yun (SEA Games) na lang ‘di ko nalalaruan,” she said. “Dati puro club lang.”

And so the former FHM cover girl is definitely looking forward to her first ever stint in the SEA Games and hopefully, win for the country its first women’s volleyball gold in 22 years.

“Sa mga national team na sumasali sa club competitions nakasali na ako pero ‘yung national team na bansa talaga ito ang first,” she said.

Source: Mei-Lin Lozada of Spin.ph

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