Clarisse Loresco will return to Far Eastern University with more than just sharpened volleyball skills after a fulfilling first stint with Alas Pilipinas Women.
Spending her summer break training under head coach Jorge de Brito and representing the country, Loresco believes that even a short exposure with the Nationals has already turned her into a “more mature” volleyball player — an asset the Lady Tamaraws will greatly need as they aim for redemption in the 2025 V-League Collegiate Challenge.
Fresh off a Final Four appearance with FEU, there was no rest for Loresco as she embraced the opportunity to play with the Nationals. She contributed to their historic silver-medal finish in the AVC Nations Cup and back-to-back bronze medals in the 2025 Southeast Asia V.League.
“Siguro bago ako mag-enter ng Alas, hindi pa ako ganoon ka-mature yung pagiisip ko. After naman ng Alas, I think meron na ako na-earn na maturity,” said Loresco, who scored nine points in FEU’s four-set win over Colegio de San Juan de Letran in the eight-team tournament organized by Sports Vision.
Beyond maturity, the homegrown product of FEU-Diliman shared that she returned to Morayta with a renewed vision and a deeper understanding of patience — something she learned from the veterans of the Nationals.
Playing alongside fellow UAAP standouts like Angel Canino and Shaina Nitura, Loresco cherished the chance to learn from Philippine volleyball icons such as team captain Jia de Guzman, Eya Laure, and Dawn Macandili-Catindig.
(C) V-League Images
“In terms of sa games, yung pinaka-unang una na sinabi nila sa akin ay maging patient,” said the 19-year-old, the youngest member of Alas Women.
“Hindi naman sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay magagamit ako, kaya kailangan ko raw ng patience doon. Alam ko naman ‘yon and may trust ako sa coaches ko if ipapasok ako or wala,” she added.
FEU head coach Tina Salak also lauded Loresco’s development, noting her ability to balance two different systems — De Brito’s structure with the Nationals and Salak’s own approach with the Lady Tamaraws.
While Salak hopes to streamline Loresco’s focus on a specific role within FEU, she acknowledged the undeniable growth of her young spiker, both as a player and as a budding leader.
“Kung yung task namin ngayon sa kanya ay maging middle, kasi si Cla nagkakaroon ng task [sa Alas] na iba yung role sa kanya. Sa amin lang is more on mag-focus siya sa isang position and tignan namin kung paano siya makaka-fit ulit kasi iba rin yung systems ‘eh,” Salak explained.
“Today, naninibago siya pero ang laki rin kasi ng impact ni Cla sa team, especially yung mga experiences niya. Even doon sa pag nag-uusap nila ng mga teammates niya, iba na rin.”
Still adjusting to the grind of training with Alas Women while suiting up for FEU, Loresco vowed to make the most of the lessons she gained from the Nationals. She will carry them over to the Lady Tamaraws’ redemption campaign after finishing with silver in last year’s V-League.
“Sa ngayon, parang medyo nag-aadjust ulit ako, and yung mga learnings, na-aapply ko naman siya sa sarili ko. Lahat ng tinuro nila, nagagamit ko, lalo na yung sinabi ni ate Eya [Laure] before na kailangan ko lang magkaroon ng patience,” Loresco said.
“Promise ko rin na i-share ko rin sa team namin yung mga naturo sa amin sa Alas para maganda yung maging bawi namin dito sa V-League and lalo na sa UAAP.”
