Angel Canino has experienced playing on the national team, and she wants it to be a regular part of her career.
Canino, the UAAP Season 85 rookie MVP, is part of the current Alas Pilipinas team that just won bronze in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Women – a groundbreaking achievement as it is the nation’s first medal at the continental level.
The 20-year-old spiker had to make a significant adjustment as she was converted from the outside position to opposite.
Still, Canino would love to play for the national team whenever the opportunity arises again.
“Opo, siyempre iba maglaro para sa bayan and kung bibigyan ako ng chance na maglaro para sa bayan, why not?” said Canino after winning bronze over Australia, 25-23, 25-15, 25-7, on Wednesday.
Despite the sudden position change, Canino excelled.
She led the team in scoring in four of the five games she played, with a high of 22 points against India in pool play.
Canino was only held to single digits in one game – the semifinals against Kazakhstan. But she still scored nine points in that game as their opponents advanced to the final with a 25-23, 25-21, 25-14 win over the Philippines.
“Para sa akin I take it as a challenge na ‘Ah kaya ko ‘to sa sarili ko, kakayanin ko hanggat kaya ko’,’” shared the De La Salle University ace on her shift to opposite.
“I’m very proud of the team, the management and the coaches kasi siyempre given the preparation time, nakuha pa namin magka-bronze,” she said.
“So I’m very proud of us kasi hindi biro yung pinagdadaanan din namin as individuals and as a team. Ang masasabi ko lang din, I’m very proud inall-out talaga namin yung isa’t isa.”
