Fil-fors beef up Sta. Lucia in PSL

MANILA, Philippines - Sta. Lucia hopes to rebound from a doormat finish in the Philippine Super Liga Invitationals with Fil-foreign recruits Mar-Jana (MJ) Philips and Rebecca Rivera as the Lady Realtors get ready for a big push in the All-Filipino conference to start at the Filoil Flying V Arena on Tuesday.

Philips, 21, and Rivera, 22, arrived last week to bolster coach Sammy Acaylar’s lineup. Under PSL rules, each team is allowed up to two Fil-foreigners. The only other squad in the eight-team conference with a Fil-foreigner is Cocolife whose recruit is 5-9 outside hitter Cherylain Dizon of Northeastern University.

The youngest of three, the 5-10 Philips said her most memorable volleyball experience was reaching the Elite Eight in the 2014 NCAA Division III tournament with Juniata College under coach Heather Pavlik. Her mother Rowena is from Iba, Zambales. It’s her first visit to Manila since a family vacation in 2008. The lanky outside hitter said she’s aware that volleyball, particularly the women’s game, has become increasingly popular in the Philippines over the last few years and that’s why she sent videos of her games to PSL scouts, hoping to draw interest. 

Rivera, the middle child of three, was 12 when she was introduced to volleyball in Toronto where her family is based. She won Canadian national championships at the high school and club levels before joining the University of Connecticut varsity in the NCAA Division I as a primary setter. Her parents Leo and Myra are both Filipinos. Her father’s brother is recording artist and actor Ariel Rivera. She played three years with Connecticut under coach Kris Grunwald. Like Philips, Rivera sent videos of her games to PSL scouts. 

“MJ and I just met in Manila,” said the 5-7 Rivera. “We’re both excited to play volleyball in the Philippines. If we get a chance, we hope to try out for the national team. We’re done with college and now, we’re focused on our volleyball career. We’re prepared to stay in Manila for as long as it takes. We’re committed to take Sta. Lucia to the next level.”

Sta. Lucia team manager Santi Edralin said for the Lady Realtors, the only way to go is up. “We’re an expansion team in the PSL,” said Edralin. “In our first conference, we were last with a 0-6 record. We’re looking forward to be competitive in the All-Filipino with MJ, Rebecca, Lourdes Clemente of Perpetual and our other players. Sta. Lucia was known as a competitive basketball team in the PBA. Now, we want to make our mark in women’s volleyball.”

Edralin said Sta. Lucia management is 100 percent behind Acaylar’s efforts to build a championship team. “From our owner Mr. Excy Robles to Mike Robles, Michelle Robles de Castro to Mara Santos to all the company executives, the support is inspiring and motivating,” he said. “The team is practicing hard and the goal is to outdo ourselves in the All-Filipino conference.”