Inclusion to national pool added motivation for Meneses

UST’s Ria Meneses (Middle). Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Ria Meneses’ inclusion to the national team pool not only cemented her place as one the best in her position, it also served as another motivation for her to train harder.

The University of Santo Tomas middle blocker was part of the 25-strong pool from which the line-ups for future tournaments will come from.

“Of course if you ask any player, they’d always say that they really want to be a part of the national team because you’re representing your whole country,” said Meneses after her Golden Tigresses turned back Adamson, 25-12, 25-18, 22-25, 25-19 in the UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball tournament.

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“It really is inspiring when you represent your country because it makes you train harder than ever before.”

But this stint is not her first crack at international play.

She was chosen as one of the players in the team that competed in the AVC Asian Women’s U23 Volleyball Championship where the Philippines finished in seventh place out of 12 competing countries.

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Meneses, however, doesn’t think her time in the Asian tournament played a big part in the selection committee’s decision to include her in the pool.

“I really didn’t expect that I would be included,” said Meneses, who joined other notable middle blockers Dindin Santiago, Aby Maraño, Maika Ortiz, and Mika Reyes. “And I don’t know if my time with the U23 was a factor.”