National team tryouts keep Lady Spikers in top shape ahead of Final 4 match

Ramil De Jesus just hit two birds with the proverbial stone.

During the weeklong break between the final day of eliminations of the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball tournament and the start of the Final Four, De Jesus managed to have his core get into a bit of competition.

La Salle’s trio of Mary Joy Baron, Kianna Dy, and Dawn Macandili had been hard at work during the tw0-day tryouts for the Philippine women’s national volleyball team on Wednesday at Arellano University.

De Jesus said his Lady Spikers could still have a dose of quality action while they let the days pass before they face National University on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.

“This is good for us because the players are playing in scrimmages and these aren’t weak players they’re playing against,” said De Jesus in Filipino.

Playing with the Lady Spikers in the tryouts were standouts in the Philippine Superliga and other players in the UAAP

The likes of Cherry Rondina, Cha Cruz-Behag, MJ Phillips, Rebecca Rivera, Denden Lazaro, Kath Arado, Kim Fajardo,  Ara Galang, Alyssa Valdez and Jia Morado from the Premier Volleyball league and National University’s Jaja Santiago were among those who gave the La Salle players a good sweat.

“This is a different situation from when we practice within La Salle,” said De Jesus. “These are just like organized games because everyone will go all out.”