The national women’s volleyball team tapped veteran spiker Aiza Pontillas to replace Fil-Am Kalei Mau, who failed to secure a release from the United States federation to play for the Philippines in the Southeast Asian Games.
The development rocked the national team, which is hoping to finish on the podium in the SEA Games volleyball competitions slated Dec. 2 to 10 at PhilSports Arena.
The 6-foot-2 Mau was counted on to stir up the Philippine offense along with Alyssa Valdez and Ces Molina.
“For us, Kalei is part of the team but then we have to make an adjustment,” said head coach Shaq delos Santos.
Pontillas is a many-time member of the national team.
The Philippines placed second in the Philippine Superliga Super Cup, bowing to Japan’s University of Tsukuba, 25-13, 25-21, 25-19, late Friday in the gold medal match.
“We still have time, we need good game plans and hopefully we get the team complete,” Delos Santos said. “But the team is strong and the players stepped up, even the young players.”
The team will next play tuneup matches against men’s squads.