Volleyball captains Marano, De Guzman promise to go all out in SEAG

MANILA, Philippines – National team skippers Aby Marano and Johnvic de Guzman vowed to give their best when they see action in the volleyball competitions of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

Marano, for one, said she is looking forward to the prestigious showpiece that the country will host for the first time in 14 years.

The former La Salle star is arguably the most experienced local volleyball player.

She had seen action in various international tournaments, including the AVC Asian Senior Women’s Championship, AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship and the SEA Games.

But playing before a roaring home crowd is something she wouldn’t want to miss.

“It’s a different feeling playing in front of your home crowd,” said Marano, who campaigns for F2 Logistics in the Philippine Superliga.

“If the support of Filipinos in other country was already overwhelming, what more if you’re going to play in front of your countrymen. SEA Games is such a big deal and we would do everything to come up with a good performance.”

De Guzman agreed. 

“We want to win in the SEA Games because we don’t want to get embarrassed in front of our countrymen. We will play for the pride of our country,” said de Guzman, who has been campaigning for the national side since 2015.

The last time the national women’s team won a medal in the biennial meet was when the country hosted the 23rd edition in 2005.

It was such a star-studded team with Mary Jean Balse, Maureen Penetrante, Roxanne Pimentel, Rubie de Leon, Michelle and Mayette Carolino, Tina Salak and Cherry Rose Macatangay-Rivera at the helm.

This time, the women’s squad has a handsome chance with Marano joining an explosive crew of Filipino-American stalwarts Alohi Robins-Hardy, MJ Philips and Kalei Mau together with Mika Reyes, Denden Lazaro, Jia Morado, Alyssa Valdez and Jaja Santiago — who is fresh from a stint in the V.Premier League in Japan — carrying the cudgels.

“I really feel that we have a good chance of winning a medal of any color,” said Marano, adding that good preparation would definitely equate to success.

“If we would be given solid training and longer time to prepare, we’ll have a good chance of winning. Our opponents have been playing together for years. So what we have to do is to stay together and train hard to be successful.”

“The SEA Games is not easy. But we have to stay together and unite for a common goal.”