Jaja Santiago leads hopefuls for world club tilt

SIX-FOOT-FOUR Jaja Santiago has the inside track in the search for homegrown members of the Philippine team to the coming FIVB (international volleyball federation) Women’s Club World Championship.

According to sources, Santiago—more than just her height and skills—has shown a big fighting heart, which will be put to the test when the world’s top eight clubs clash against each other starting Oct. 18.

The 22-year-old Santiago is slowly being transformed into an open hitter from middle blocker so she can be useful in the flanks for the PH team, which will also be beefed up by taller foreign players, according to website volleyverse.com.

Santiago led 22 other PSL stalwarts who tried their luck in yesterday’s tryouts at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan. Only seven local players will be chosen.

The PSL and TV5 will name the seven local players one by one starting June 30.

Also invited to the tryouts: Jeanette Panaga, Cherry Vivas, Janine Navarro and Djanel Cheng of Cignal; Gen Casugod, Rubie de Leon, Faith Arado and Ria Meneses of Generika; Pau Soriano and Janette Serfica of Standard Insurance-Navy; Kim Fajardo, Dawn Macandili, Majoy Baron, Kim Dy and Mika Reyes of F2 Logistics; Lourdes Clemente and Cindy Impo of Amy’s; Maika Ortiz and Rhea Dimaculangan of Foton; Maizo Pontillas, Ces Molina and Jen Reyes of Petron; and Tina Salak, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Honey Royse Tubino and Rachel Anne Daquis of RC Cola-Army.