THE 2020 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s Challenge Cup of Asia (WCCOA) will be held in the Philippines on February 23-28, and the Philippine team will be bolstered by a tiny Filipino-Australian dynamo, Kayla Francesca Herbolario, in the forwards.
“We will be up against top division teams Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia,” Kayla said with excitement before flying to Manila for the Cup.
“I am excited about going and playing in front of a home crowd with family, friends and supporters watching.
“I am looking forward to seeing how we perform in a higher division and to make another piece of history for Philippine hockey.”
Last tear, the Philippine national team won the WCCOA gold medal in Abu Dhabi for the IIHF WCCOA.
Winning placed the team up to a higher division for this year, “which means faster and more competitive hockey,” Kayla said.
She leaves Sydney Bears this year and joins Canterbury Eagles in the Ice Hockey NSW competition.
In her last outing with the Bears in 2019, the team faced Perth Flyers in the final after being first in the standings but lost 6-4.
“It was an intense game and both teams played well,” Kayla said. “We had more shots at goal but we were unable to get the puck in the net.”
In the nationals, the Australian Women’s Ice Hockey League where Kayla plays in tier 2 for the NSW Bombers, her side were undefeated in the first round held in Canberra, lost only one game the second round in Adelaide, made it to the final round in Melbourne.
The Bombers lost 0-3 in game 1 to Melbourne, won 4-0 against Perth in game 2, won 5-0 against Adelaide, lost the semifinal 2-3 to Canberra.
The Bombers won 4-1over Perth for the bronze medal.
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Picture: LAYLA HERBOLARIO, centre, in action with the NSW Bombers.
