The trio of Jia De Guzman, Angel Canino, and Dell Palomata shone brightly in Alas Pilipinas’ historic silver-medal run at the 2025 AVC Women’s Nations Cup, each earning individual accolades on Saturday night.
De Guzman and Canino retained their spots in the tournament’s Mythical Team, winning Best Setter and Best Outside Spiker, respectively, for their pivotal roles in leading the Philippines to its best AVC finish in 64 years.
An eight-time PVL Best Setter, De Guzman showcased her trademark playmaking, ranking third in setting during the preliminary round with 24 excellent sets across five matches. This marks her second Best Setter award in the Nations Cup.
Canino, last year’s Best Opposite Spiker, transitioned seamlessly to the wing, finishing 12th overall in scoring with 74 points built on 62 attacks, seven blocks, and five aces. She averaged 12.33 points per match over six games.
Meanwhile, Palomata emerged as one of the tournament’s top defenders, earning a Best Middle Blocker citation. The PLDT standout anchored the net defense for Alas Pilipinas, tallying 35 total points and averaging 1.83 blocks per game over six outings.
Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen, who led her team to a flawless six-game sweep and a third consecutive Nations Cup title, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Best Opposite Spiker.
Her teammates Tran Thi Thanh Thuy and Nguyen Khanh Dang were also recognized, winning Second Best Outside Hitter and Best Libero honors, respectively.
Rounding out the Dream Team was Chinese Taipei’s Kan Ko-Hui, who claimed the First Best Middle Blocker award.
