Rebisco-PSL Manila left for Ust-Kamenogorsk in Kazakhstan on Sunday night, with hopes of springing a surprise in the prestigious 2017 AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship.
Seasoned international campaigner Rachel Daquis banners this collection of PSL stars, who are looking to surpass the seventh-place finish of Foton Pilipinas when the country hosted the tournament last year.
Daquis is joined by Jovelyn Gonzaga of Cignal; Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Rhea Dimaculangan, Mika Reyes, and Ces Molina of Petron; Aby Marano of F2 Logistics; Denden Lazaro of Cocolife; Kim Fajardo of F2 Logistics; Jaja Santiago of Foton; Gen Casugod and Bia General of Generika-Ayala; and Lourdes Clemente of Sta. Lucia. Women’s volleyball national team head coach Francis Vicente will serve as the team’s head coach.
They will be marching without an import, but team manager Anna Tomas believes this squad is capable of stunning the other clubs in its pool, namely Hisamitsu Springs of Japan, Tianjin Bohai Bank of China, and VietinBank of Vietnam.
“This is the best team we ever formed for the AWCC,” said Tomas shortly after the squad embarked on a 15-hour flight to Istanbul, a four-hour flight to Almaty, and another two-hour travel to Ust-Kamenogorsk in northern Kazakhstan.
In addition, PSL president Ramon Suzara stressed that the players should use this experience as preparation for the AVC Asian Senior Women’s Championship and the 29th Southeast Asian Games.
Vicente, on the other hand, said winning the crown is a tough task, but at least they should be able to beat Vietnam and keep the scores very close against Hisamitsu Springs and Tianjin Bohai Bank.
VietinBank is reportedly coming in without an import as well and will parade the core of its national team, while majority of the players from Hisamitsu Springs are fresh from seeing action in the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship in Kobe, Japan.
