Ytang savors Alas debut

Alta Sports6 days ago · 100 views

Photo: AVC

By Rachel Gonzales

Niña Ytang cherished her Philippine women’s volleyball team debut despite Alas Pilipinas’ disappointing finish in the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation Women’s Cup.

Ytang, who withdrew from the Premier Volleyball League Rookie Draft to prioritize national team duties, was honored to represent the country even as the retooled Alas squad settled for its lowest finish in the tournament at eighth place among 12 teams.

The Philippines ended its campaign with a 25-21, 25-12, 25-21 loss to Iran in the battle for seventh place on Sunday at Candon City Arena.

Photo: Candon City Official

Despite the disappointing result, Ytang remained grateful for the opportunity to share the court with veteran stars Alyssa Valdez, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Ces Molina and Ara Galang, who answered the national team’s call after much of the previous core was unavailable.

“I’m just very, very grateful for the experience that I am having right now with my ates. Of course, I will cherish these memories with them,” said Ytang, who scored five points in the final match.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. It has been my dream to play with them, so I’m very, very grateful for all the experiences that I have right now.”

The Philippines had reached the semifinals in each of the previous two editions of the AVC Women’s Cup, winning bronze in 2024 and claiming silver last year with a core led by Jia De Guzman.

The University of the Philippines standout emerged as one of the team’s bright spots, earning a starting role at middle blocker and drawing praise from opponents, including South Korea.

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