PNVF taps entire NU Lady Bulldogs as national team for AVC Cup, PVL Invitationals

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) has called on the entire NU Lady Bulldogs roster to represent the country in the upcoming Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup for Women and the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference semifinals.

Joining Akari’s Trisha Genesis and California Precision School’s Jelaica Gajero – the only two non-NU players on the team – are the Lady Bulldogs’ core of UAAP rookie MVP Bella Belen, Finals MVP Cess Robles, Best Libero Jen Nierva, Best Opposite Spiker Alyssa Solomon, Best Setter Lams Lamina, 2nd Best Middle Blocker Sheena Toring, and Ivy Lacsina.

Evangeline Alinsug, Kamille Cal, Joyme Cagande, Shaira Jardio, and Nicole Mata complete the 14-woman lineup, which will immediately see action on Monday, August 8, 5:30 pm, in a highly anticipated matchup against the reigning PVL Open Conference champion Creamline Cool Smashers.

The national team will be joining the PVL Invitationals as last-minute replacements for Japan’s Kobe Shinwa Women’s University, which got bogged down by an untimely positive COVID-19 test prior to their flight to the Philippines.

The Belen-led team will now be featured in daily matchups starting on Monday, followed by matches against Army Black Mamba, Cignal, Taiwan’s Kingwhale Taipei, and PLDT, in that order.

As noted by PVL president Ricky Palou, the national team is eligible to win the PVL Invitationals championship, and will “get more competition” with their upcoming games prior to the AVC Cup.

From August 21 to 29, the young national team will then compete with Asia’s best squads, namely Iran, South Korea, Vietnam, and reigning champion China in Group A of the tournament.

National team consultant and Akari head coach Jorge Souza de Brito will lead the team from the sidelines alongside assistants Cherry Macatangay and current NU head coach Karl Dimaculangan. – Rappler.com