Jaja Santiago is back in the Philippines on a break from the Japan V. League and is leading the Chery Tiggo squad to successive wins at the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference, the country’s first professional volleyball league now being played in Ilocos.
Santiago made history as the first Filipino import to win medals at the Japanese Volleyball Premiere League – a bronze in 2020 and gold in 2021.
The 25-year-old volleyball star from the National University and the Philippine National Women’s Volleyball Team joined the Japanese league’s Saitama Ageo Medics in 2018.
Her excellent performance in the Japan league has led to an offer for a change in nationality but the Cavite pride has maintained her ties to the Philippines and even tried out earlier this year for the Southeast Asian Games team.
The 6-foot-5 Filipina spiker is in the country now playing for her Philippine home team, the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, at the PVL.
Jaja Santiago reunited with the team that includes her sister Dindin Santiago-Manabat and together led the volleyball girls to two straight wins.
The Santiago-powered squad won its first game against the PLDT Power Hitters, 25-20, 25-17, 25-6, during the inaugural game of the country’s first-ever professional volleyball league last July 17.
The team afterward overwhelmed Cignal HD, 25-16, 25-13, 25-19, on July 19.
The two successive wins made Chery Tiggo the solo leader of the Open Conference played at the PCV Socio-Civic Cultural Center in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte.
The Crey Tiggo Crossovers will aim for a three-game winning streak as it faces BaliPure Water Defenders on July 22.
SEND CHEERS in the comments below to Jaja Santiago as she plays for Chery Tiggo in the 1st professional volleyball League of the Philippines!
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