CEBUANA IN PH TEAM
Former USJ-R star Abigail Praca (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Former University of San Jose-Recoletos star Abigail Praca has been named to the Philippine team that will compete in the most prestigious volleyball tournament in Asia – the 18th Asian Senior Women’s Championships in Tianjin and Beijing, China on May 20 to 28.
Praca is now playing for Mane ‘N Tail in the Philippine Superliga and will be part of a solid cast of hard-hitting volleybelles led by premier spikers Dindin Santiago-Manabat and Aby Marano. Also on the squad is the PSL’s top draft pick, Iris Tolenada of Philips Gold, as the country aspires to regain their status as a force to be reckoned with on the international scene after decades of futility.
Cignal mentor Sammy Acaylar, who has coached Praca during her stint with the HD Spikers, will be the head coach while serving as his deputies are Francis Vicente of Philips Gold, Rosemary Prochina of Mane ‘N Tail and Benson Bocboc of Shopinas.
The 18-man lineup was already submitted to the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) and the organizing committee of this tournament billed as the highest level of volleyball competition in the continent. It will be trimmed down to the final 12 at least a week before the opening day.
Also making the pool from Philips Gold are Shaya Adorador, Melissa Gohing, Michelle Gumabao and Myla Pablo while Petron will be represented by Manabat, Marano, Carmina Aganon, Mary Grace Masangkay, Frances Molina and Ivy Perez. Cignal’s representatives are Jheck Dionela, Jeanette Panaga, Janine Navarro, Lourdes Clemente and Rica Jane Enclona. Rising star Kim Dy is the lone representative from Shopinas.
The Philippines, which placed 12th out of 16 competitors in the previous edition in Nakhon Ratchasima in Thailand in 2013, is bracketed in Group D together with Kazakhstan, South Korea and Oceania superpower Australia.
Bunched in Group A are the host country, India, Fiji Islands and Iran; in Group B are reigning champion Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong; and in Group C are Japan, Turkmekistan, Vietnam and Mongolia.
The Nationals will open their bid in the preliminaries against the Aussies on May 20.