The Philippine squad plunging into battle in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Cup will be minus its unspoken leader Alyssa Valdez after the Creamline team captain was hospitalized recently due to dengue.
Valdez is being treated now and there were reports she may have caught the disease following a much-needed vacation in Palawan recently with some showbiz buddies.
Choco Mucho star Kat Tolentino is being eyed as a possible replacement for Valdez.
Valdez was one of the 14 Creamline players who were tapped by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation to represent the country in the AVC Cup after ruling the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference.
Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, Risa Sato, Ced Domingo, Jeanette Panaga, Michele Gumabao, Ella de Jesus, Pau Soriano, Kyla Atienza, Kyle Negrito, Rose Vargas and Fille Cayetano were the other members of the squad.
The Filipinas battle the Vietnamese, the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games silver medalists, Sunday, the Chinese, the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games gold medalists, Tuesday, the Iranians Wednesday and the Koreans, the Asiad silver winners, Thursday.
The national women's team needs to finish in the top four in Pool A to qualify for the quarterfinals.