Capital1 rookie Leila Cruz has been added to the Alas Pilipinas pool as four players have withdrawn

Capital1 Solar Spikers rookie Leila Cruz has been added to the Alas Pilipinas pool by head coach Jorge Souza de Brito after four players pulled out of the training camp ahead of the packed 2025 international assignments.

Cruz was already training with the Philippine women’s national volleyball team, with her inclusion in the roster confirmed by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF). This came after Akari Chargers stars Faith Nisperos and Eli Soyud withdrew from the training pool, which is a 33-player wishlist of De Brito.

Capital1 head coach Roger Gorayeb expressed delight over the young spiker’s national call-up, believing that Cruz will benefit greatly from her stint.

“I’m really happy for her — playing for the national team is every player’s dream. Out of so many athletes, she was given the opportunity, and that’s a big deal. When she comes back to us, the experience she gains there will be a huge help, especially in terms of her growth and maturity,” Gorayeb said in a media interaction.

Akari team manager Mozzy Ravena confirmed that both Nisperos and Soyud had formally withdrawn their names, stating, “Faith is injured. Eli wants to focus on her stint with Akari.”

Leila Cruz joins Alas Women as Nisperos, Soyud, Carlos, Troncoso beg off, by @jonashdcd#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/YnmhQo2O1j#Sambansa pic.twitter.com/ZFqTKiWvvg

— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) May 22, 2025

In addition to Nisperos and Soyud, Creamline Cool Smashers superstar Tots Carlos and ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles’ Chai Troncoso have also withdrawn from the national training pool. The withdrawal of Tots Carlos is a significant blow for De Brito, as she is considered one of the best players in the Philippines.

However, De Brito still has most of the players he wished for. Fifi Sharma, Justine Jazareno, Jia De Guzman, Dawn Macandili-Catindig, Eya Laure, Dell Palomata, Jennifer Nierva, Julia Coronel, Vanie Gandler, and Thea Gagate are currently participating in training sessions. UAAP standouts Bella Belen, Lams Lamina, and Shaina Nitura have also joined.

Petro Gazz Angels superstar Brooke Van Sickle, National University Bulldogs standout Alyssa Solomon, and the La Salle trio of Angel Canino, Shevana Laput, and Amie Provido are expected to join the camp soon.

Alas Pilipinas has a packed calendar ahead, beginning with the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women’s Nations Cup, set to take place from June 7 to 14 in Hanoi, Vietnam. Following that, the women’s national volleyball team will compete in the Southeast Asian Volleyball League, scheduled from late July to early August.

OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all the sports news from around the world.