By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Negrense volleybelle Christine Joy Soyud was given a rare opportunity to join the Philippine women’s volleyball team in the 2023 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup for Women in Java, Indonesia.

The Negros Occidental’s La Carlota City-native Soyud was one of the three Western Visayas-based players selected for the national team, which will be handled by Jorge Edson Souza de Brito.

Apart from the Akari Power Chargers hitter, Ilonggas Aiza Maizo-Pontillas of Petro Gazz Angels, Ma. Shaya Adorador of Foton Tornadoes and Roma Mae Doromal of the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles were the other Region 6-based players on the team.

Others called up to join the national squad were Blue Eagles’ Alexis Miner and Power Chargers’ Faith Nisperos, Michelle Cobb, Shiela Pineda, Erika Raagas, and Ezra Madrigal.

Also set to deliver star power to the roster are Angels’ Djanel Cheng, PLDT High Speed Hitters’ Jules Samonte and University of the East Lady Red Warriors’ Riza Nogales and Lia Pelaga.

Philippine women’s volleyball team head coach De Brito is set to call the shots for the squad that is hoping to have a decent finish in the tournament despite being hastily formed.

Team Philippines, which is making a debut in the AVC, is bracketed in Pool A along with Macau, which they will face on June 19, and host Indonesia, which they will tangle on June 20.

Defending champions Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei and Iran compose Pool B, while Australia and 2022 runner-up India are slated in Pool C, and Mongolia, Uzbekistan and Vietnam are in Pool D.

The top two squads in each pool advance to the knockout semifinals round to be played on June 24, while the one-game championship is to be held on the next day./ASC, WDJ