CAPITAL1 marked its first anniversary as a PVL team on Saturday with a straight-sets loss to ZUS Coffee that left little to be desired.
Still winless in 2025, their 29-31, 15-25, 15-25 defeat marked the Solar Spikers’ third in a row and sixth in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
READ: Gagate, Cruz all smiles after taking aim at each other for first time
With record-breaking scorer Marina Tushova onboard last conference, Capital1 only lost four times.
For rookie hitter Leila Cruz, who was held to just four points as she deals with minor knee issues as of late, the Solar Spikers’ one-win campaign so far has boiled down to fundamental lapses.
“(Problema namin) 'yung court awareness and 'yung service-receive namin. Less errors din siguro (dapat) for us kasi sa service-receive, du'n talaga nag-sstart. Need talaga namin 'yun ma-work on and less errors,” Cruz said.
Capital1 is averaging 22.3 unforced errors in its first seven matches this conference. It has either matched or exceeded its opponents' error output in six of these seven matches.
Albeit ranked 11th in the 12-team field midway through the elimination round, Cruz is still pleased with how far the young Solar Spikers have come in a span of a year.
“After a year, marami ng changes and improvements naman so sobrang proud ako with our team,” Capital1’s No. 2 draft pick said.
“Siguro until now, need lang namin maging consistent with our laro para mas makakuha ng maraming wins.”
The mid-conference addition of Trisha Genesis has bolstered the Capital1 offense almost instantly with a 7.5-point average in her first two games.
With the potential of another superstar haul in the second edition of the PVL Draft later this year, the Roger Gorayeb-led squad might just be a few more stars away from reaching new heights in seasons to come.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
