Aiza Maizo-Pontillas

Aiza Maizo-Pontillas
Personal information
NicknameAiza, Nang
NationalityFilipino
Born (1988-02-29) February 29, 1988 (age 36)
HometownPassi City, Iloilo, Philippines
Height178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight69 kg (152 lb)
Spike280 cm (110 in)
Block275 cm (108 in)
College / UniversityUniversity of Santo Tomas
Volleyball information
PositionOpposite spiker
Current clubPetro Gazz Angels
Career
YearsTeams
2007-2011,2013University of Santo Tomas
2011Philippine Air Force
2011Philippine Navy
2013Petron
2013–2015Cagayan Valley
2015PLDT
2016–2020Petron
2021Sta. Lucia
2022–presentPetro Gazz
National team
2013–2023Philippines
Honours
Women's Volleyball
Representing  Philippines
ASEAN Grand Prix
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Nakhon Ratchasima Philippine Team

Aiza Maizo-Pontillas (born February 29, 1988) is a Filipina professional volleyball player. She was a former member and team captain of the UST Golden Tigresses, and a former member of the Philippines women's national volleyball team.

She was a two-time UAAP Volleyball champion who led the España-based squad to its 16th and, as of 2024, latest championship in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) league. She was also an eight-time Shakey's V-League (SVL) champion where she was a three-time “Finals Most Valuable Player” and two-time “Conference Most Valuable Player”.

She is known for bagging several best-of awards in almost all volleyball skill departments in UAAP and SVL, excluding setting and digging. She is also known as the first Filipina in the entire franchise of SVL to take both Finals and Season MVP in a single conference twice.

Maizo-Pontillas is also a four-time Philippine Super Liga (PSL) champion where she was a one-time “Most Valuable Player” and a five-time “Best Opposite Spiker” awardee.

Maizo-Pontillas currently plays for Petro Gazz Angels in Premier Volleyball League (PVL) where she is already a one-time champion.

Education

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Graduated in Passi National High School

Maizo graduated from the University of Santo Tomas with a Bachelor of Science in Food Technology.

Volleyball career

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Collegiate career

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Maizo started her collegiate volleyball career as a back-up setter of the UST Golden Tigresses in UAAP Season 68 volleyball, where they finished 4th place. In UAAP Season 69 volleyball, she transitioned into an Opposite Hitter by Coach August Sta. Maria of UST. UST gets its 15th championship title, her first championship as a player in UAAP. She came back in UAAP Season 71 volleyball as team captain and led UST into a Bronze finish. She was awarded as “Best Attacker” of the season.

In UAAP Season 72 volleyball, Maizo and the rest of UST Golden Tigresses defeated De La Salle University and hailed as UAAP Champions, her second championship title and UST’s 16th championship title in UAAP. On her last playing year in UAAP, Maizo received “Best Scorer” and “Best Receiver” awards and led UST into finals appearance but ended her collegiate career with a silver medal losing to arch-rival De La Salle University in UAAP Season 73 volleyball.

Maizo was a part of the 5 championship titles of UST in Shakey's V-League.She and the UST Golden Tigresses hailed as back to back champions in V-League 4th Season 1st Conference and V-League 4th Season 2nd Conference against arch-rivals, San Sebastian College-Recoletos. In V-League 5th Season 2nd Conference, UST loss to SSC-R in finals, Maizo bagged the “Best Server” of the season.

She also led the UST Golden Tigresses into a 3-peat championship. In V-League 6th Season 1st Conference, UST grabbed the championship against San Sebastian College-Recoletos and she was awarded as the “Best Blocker” of the conference. UST later on won the V-League 6th Season 2nd Conference against Adamson University and she was hailed the first and only player to be awarded with both “Conference MVP” and “Finals MVP” in the same conference. Maizo again led UST into a championship in V-League 7th Season 1st Conference and won the “Best Attacker” and “Finals MVP” awards.

Semi-Professional Career

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Maizo-Pontillas had a short stint with Philippine Air Force[1] and Philippine Navy as a guest player in Shakey’s V-League 8th Season Open Conference. She placed 4th with the Philippine Navy team.[2]

She returned from a long volleyball hiatus in Shakey's V-League 10th Season 1st Conference where she played with UST Tigresses as a guest player. They settled with a bronze finish, losing to Ateneo Lady Eagles in the semi-finals and winning to Adamson Lady Falcons in the battle for bronze.

She then debuted with Cagayan Valley Lady Rising Suns in Shakey's V-League 10th Season 2nd Conference where they end up Champion as they swept the conference from elimination to finals with 16-0 record. They defeated Smart-Maynilad Net Spikers in the finals which both Game 1 and 2 ended up in 5 sets.

In Shakey's V-League 11th Season Open Conference, Maizo-Pontillas and Cagayan Valley Lady Rising Suns finished with a silver medal, losing to Philippine Army Lady Troopers in the finals. They avenged their defeat in Shakey's V-League 11th Season Reinforced Open Conference winning the championship against Philippine Army Lady Troopers. Maizo-Pontillas was hailed as “Finals MVP”, “Conference MVP”, and “Best Scorer”.

In Shakey's V-League 12th Season Open Conference, Maizo-Pontillas helped Cagayan Valley Lady Rising Suns to finish with a bronze medal.[3] She later won Shakey's V-League 12th Season Reinforced Open Conference with PLDT Home Ultera Fast Hitters.[4]

She played the 2016 PSL Invitational Cup with Petron Tri-Activ Spikers winning a silver medal and the “Best Opposite Spiker” individual award.[5] She later on won another silver medal in 2016 PSL Grand Prix Conference and was awarded as “2nd Best Opposite Spiker”. She once again finished with a silver medal in 2017 PSL Invitational Cup.

Maizo-Pontillas won her first PSL title in 2017 PSL All-Filipino Conference with Petron Blaze Spikers, beating F2 Logistics Cargo Movers in the finals. She was awarded as the “Most Valuable Player” of the conference. In another title run with Petron Blaze Spikers, Maizo-Pontillas settled for a silver finish in 2017 PSL Grand Prix Conference.[6]

The following year, she together with Stalzer, Katherine Bell and Rhea Dimaculangan led Petron to the 2018 PSL Grand Prix Conference championship.[7] In 2018 PSL Invitational Cup, they finished with a silver finish losing to F2 Logistics Cargo Movers. Maizo-Pontillas was awarded the “Best Opposite Spiker”. She ended the 2018 conferences with Petron Blaze Spikers as a champion in 2018 PSL All-Filipino Conference. She was once again awarded the “Best Opposite Spiker”.

Maizo-Pontillas with Petron Blaze Spikers achieved back to back championship winning the 2019 PSL Grand Prix Conference against F2 Logistics Cargo Movers. They however failed to defend their title in 2019 PSL All-Filipino Conference losing to Cignal HD Spikers in the semi-finals. They settled with a bronze medal, beating Foton Tornadoes in a 5-setter match. She ended her PSL career with a silver medal finish in 2019 PSL Invitational Conference, with Petron Blaze Spikers losing to F2 Logistics Cargo Movers in the finals. She was awarded “Best Opposite Spiker” in the end of the tournament.

Professional career

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Maizo-Pontillas debuted on Premier Volleyball League in 2021 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference with Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors. They failed to advance in semi-finals as they finished 5th in the end of the elimination round. She later on moved to Petro Gazz Angels in 2022. Ever since her transfer, she already collected 1 gold from 2022 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference and 2 silvers from 2022 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference and 2023 Premier Volleyball League First All-Filipino Conference.

National Team Career

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Maizo-Pontillas debuted in the National Team in 2013 Asian Women's Volleyball Championship. They finished 12th place out of 16 teams. She was sidelined from the national team set to compete in the 2015 SEA Games Women’s Volleyball,[8] but she was later hired as assistant coach for the games.[9] In 2016 Women's Volleyball Thai-Denmark Super League, they placed last, tied with Hong Kong. She competed again in 2017 Asian Women's Volleyball Championship where they finished 8th place out of 14 teams.

She grabbed her first international medal in the 2017 Princess Maja Chakri Sirindhorn's Cup where they end up with a bronze medal.[10] Maizo-Pontillas then joined in 2018 Asian Women's Volleyball Cup where they settled for a 9th place finish out of 10 teams joined. She brought home another medal in 2019 ASEAN Grand Prix – First Leg where they won bronze, finishing 3rd in the round-robin out of 4 teams.

In 2019 SEA Games Women’s Volleyball, she was included in the roster as a player this time.[11] They failed to reach a podium finish, losing to Indonesia in the bronze medal match. She represented Philippines once again in 2023 Asian Women's Volleyball Challenge Cup where they finished 7th place out of 11 teams.

Clubs

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Awards

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Individuals

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Collegiate

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Club

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National Team

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Representing  Philippines

References

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  1. ^ "Tough Shakey's V-League Season 8 opens Sunday". Inquirer. July 28, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  2. ^ "Ateneo clinches third place in V-League Open Conference". GMA News. September 22, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  3. ^ Escarlonte, Mark (May 24, 2015). "Cagayan Valley takes SVL Open Conference third place trophy". ABS-CBN. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  4. ^ Lozada, Mei-Lin (December 6, 2015). "Alyssa Valdez stars as PLDT Home Ultera beats Army to complete V-League title run". Spin. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  5. ^ Reyes, Marc Anthony (April 10, 2016). "RC Cola-Army rules Superliga Invt'l Cup". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  6. ^ Lozada, Bong (December 16, 2017). "F2 completes comeback, wins PSL Grand Prix title at expense of Petron". The Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  7. ^ "Petron gets payback, snares PSL Grand Prix crown". Rappler. May 5, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  8. ^ Panaligan, Marisse (May 22, 2015). "Daquis, Valdez lead national lineup for SEA Games volleyball; Maizo-Pontillas". GMA News. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  9. ^ Panaligan, Marisse (May 27, 2015). "Aiza Maizo admits surprise over appointment as nat'l team assistant coach". GMA News. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  10. ^ "PSL All-Stars win bronze in Thailand meet". ABS-CBN News. September 11, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  11. ^ "Aiza Maizo-Pontillas gets SEA Games call-up after Kalei Mau exit". Spin.ph. November 8, 2019. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  12. ^ "UAAP bets shine in UniGames". ABS-CBN. November 4, 2009. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  13. ^ "PAF rules volleyball". Sunstar. June 1, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  14. ^ "Cagayan hammers Army to win Friendship Games title". Rappler. June 29, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  15. ^ "Brooke Van Sickle hailed PVL All-Filipino Conference MVP". The Manila Times. May 12, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  16. ^ "PSL All-Stars win bronze in Thailand meet". ABS-CBN News. September 11, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
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