CIGNAL will miss Alohi Robins-Hardy in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference, which starts on July 17 at the Centennial Gym in Laoag City.
The HD Spikers skipper Rachel Anne Daquis bared to Power and Play with Noli Eala that their ace playmaker won’t make it to PVL’s professional debut under a bubble format.
“Si Alohi, hindi makakasama sa amin this season,” said Daquis during her guesting with teammate Jheck Dionela on Saturday.
The multi-awarded outside hitter didn’t give more details about the absence of Robins-Hardy, who is still in United States since last year.
Spin.ph has reached out HD Spikers head coach Shaq Delos Santos but he has yet to respond as of posting time.
The 6-foot-3 setter was instrumental in Cignal’s silver medal finish in the 2019 Philippine Superliga All Filipino Conference
With Robins-Hardy skipping the season, Daquis said their two new teammates, Ayel Estranero and Klarisa Abriam, would fill in the void.
Estranero is set to run the plays, while Abriam will plug the hole left by former HD Spiker Jovelyn Gonzaga, who will play for mother club Army.
“May nadagdag na two players but syempre 90 percent (of the team) kami na talaga ang magkakasama so dinadala namin sila,” Daquis said. “Sila din nagsabi na sobrang dali namin pakisamahan. Sobrang gaan ng team namin, yun naman ang treasure ng team namin kasi family kami.”
Dionela added their coach Delos Santos is putting premium on floor defense for this conference since they will also miss the height advantage of Robins-Hardy.
“Sabi nga ni coach shaq kung hindi namin makuha sa taas sa baba na kukunin kasi matatangkad nga yung ibang teams tapos kami may mga nawalang matatangkad so kailangan namin i-balance,” the star libero said. “Yun talaga yung magdedetermine ng flow ng game pag nakadepensa kami ng maayos.”
Daquis can’t wait to finally return to action but once they enter the bubble Cignal’s mindset will be ‘one miss, you die’ since only top four teams will advance to the semis from the single round robin elimination stage.
“Bawal ang pangit ang gising,” she concluded.
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