Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, Casiey Dongallo out of AVC Cup team

MANILA, Philippines — National University’s MVP duo Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon have begged off participating in Alas Pilipinas’ upcoming AVC Challenge Cup campaign while University of the East star rookie Casiey Dongallo has also been ruled out due to a right wrist fracture.

Philippine women’s volleyball team coach Jorge Souza De Brito told Inquirer Sports that Belen and Solomon will no longer play for the upcoming AVC hosting from May 22 to 29 at Rizal Memorial Stadium after their grueling but successful title campaign in the UAAP Season 86 as champions last Wednesday.

“They’re tired [of the UAAP] and school. [They also have] minor injuries. Reasonable,” De Brito said.

READ: Angel Canino, Bella Belen commit to play for PH team, sources say

On the day NU earned its UAAP volleyball second title in three seasons, Solomon and Belen said they were still pondering joining the national team with only a few days left to train with Alas.

The Brazilian coach, meanwhile, confirmed that Dongallo recently suffered a right-hand injury after her photos wearing a cast were posted on Facebook by her high school team, California Academy.

Arah Panique, the backup wing spiker of NU, will be Dongallo’s replacement.

READ: UAAP: Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon take time to enjoy NU title

Philippine volleyball will have to wait again before Belen, Solomon, and Dongallo get to team up with fellow UAAP star Angel Canino of La Salle.

De Brito will have the PVL rising stars, bannered by Denso Airybees and Creamline setter Jia De Guzman, Choco Mucho’s Sisi Rondina and Cherry Nunag, Eya Laure and Jennifer Nierva of Chery Tiggo, Cignal’s Vanie Gandler and Dawn Macandili-Catindig, PLDT’s Dell Palomata, Akari’s Fifi Sharma and Faith Nisperos as well as La Salle’s trio Canino, Thea Gagate and Julia Coronel.

Alas Pilipinas opens its Pool A campaign against Australia on Thursday next week and will face India on Friday and Iran on Saturday in its bid to surpass its seventh-place finish last year and improve the country’s FIVB World rankings.