The Philippine Women's National Volleyball Team will not be competing in the 2022 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference's semifinal round, which resumes on Monday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
And it was due to something that was beyond the control of both the league and the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF).
Despite the recommendation of national team head coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito for the team to use the Invitational Conference as a way for the players to have games in its buildup for the 2022 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup for Women and the approval of PNVF president Ramon "Tats" Suzara, National University team manager Mariano See Diet did not allow the Lady Bulldogs to compete in the league.
The organizing Sports Vision said See Diet expressed concerns about the possibility of the players sustaining injuries given the level of competition in the PVL.
Lady Bulldogs in the national team roster are Michaela Belen, Joyme Cagande, Ivy Lacsina, Shaira Jardio, Evangeline Alinsug, Cess Robles, Sheena Toring, Jen Nierva, Nicole Mata, Alyssa Solomon, Camilla Lamina, and Kamille Cal.
Also in the fold are Akari's Trisha Genesis and Jelai Gajero from California Precision Sports.
The Philippine Women's National Volleyball Team had already been training for a month in preparation for the continental meet, slated from Aug. 21 to 29 with the Nationals set to clash with China, Iran, South Korea, and Vietnam in the continental meet at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The Kobe Shinwa Women's U of Japan earlier pulled out of the PVL semis due to Covid issues after one of its student-athletes yielded a positive RT-PCR result moments before the team's scheduled flight to the country.
The rest of Kobe Shinwa squad were close contacts.
The National team was supposed to face league-leader Creamline in Monday's semis matches at the MOA Arena, Army on Tuesday, and Cignal on Wednesday with their stint expected to sharpen their sklls and toughen them up for the AVC joust.
Only five teams will now compete in the second round of the mid-season conference.
KingWhale faces Army-Black Mamba Monday at 2:30 PM followed by Creamline versus Cignal.
