4 Rebisco players cleared to play in AVC club tournament

Rebisco team in the 2021 AVC Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship. PHIL VOLLEYBALL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Team Rebisco’s Aby Maraño, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Eya Laure, and Ivy Lacsin have been cleared to play in the 2021 AVC Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship following additional health and safety protocols.

Maraño and her teammates could not join Team Rebisco in their first game of the tournament against Altay as the Thai health office needed to undergo further quarantine after arriving from the Philippines on Wednesday.

“This is very good news especially for the players who have sacrificed a lot and dedicated themselves to the national team ever since the federation kicked off the program in April,” said Ramon “Tats” Suzara, president of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation.

The absence of Maraño, Santiago-Manabat, Laure, and Lacsina forced coach Odjie Mamon and consultant Jorge Edson Souza de Brito to switch things up with Kianna Dy and Mary Joy Baron going to Team Rebisco from Team Choco Mucho.

Dy and Baron, though, will not return to Choco Mucho as FIVB, the sport’s governing body, does not allow the transfer of players once competition starts.

“FIVB rules state that you could no longer transfer players once a tournament starts, therefore the four ladies will return to Rebisco with the two players from Choco Mucho staying with the team of Coach Jorge,” said Suzara.

Rebisco lost its first match against Altay in straight sets, 25-23, 25-13, 25-17, and is now playing against Thai club Supreme Chonburi as of posting.