Kath Arado withdraws from SEA Games due to injury, Bang Pineda fills in

Kath Arado. PVL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Kath Arado begged off from playing for the Philippine national women’s volleyball team in the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia set next month.

Bang Pineda will take Arado’s spot on the team. Arado, who plays for PLDT, sustained injuries in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.

“Libero Kath Arado backed out of the National Team due to injury. She will be replaced by Bang Pineda,” Tonyboy Liao, national teams commission chair, told the Inquirer on Tuesday.

Arado, the Best Libero award recipient in the recently concluded PVL conference, would’ve represented the Philippines for the third straight time.

Pineda, on the other hand, will play make her national team debut in the upcoming SEA Games.

The former Adamson standout will join the likes of Creamline stars Alyssa Valdez, Jia de Guzman, Tots Carlos, Michele Gumabao, Jema Galanza, Ced Domingo and Kyla Atienza.

Pineda’s head tactician in Akari, coach Jorge Souza de Brito will call the action for team Philippines.

The Philippines will compete in Group B of the SEA Games with Vietnam, Cambodia and Singapore.