CIGNAL’s playoff match-up could really swing either way.
Depending on how things end up in the final gameday of 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) this Thursday, the HD Spikers could end up facing the defending champion Petro Gazz or a fiery but inexperienced Capital1 side in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Regardless of who they end up facing, the HD Spikers are more than up for the challenge, as they promise not to let their guard down.
“Hindi naman kami totally kumpiyansa na parang ganun lang magiging kadali ‘yung labanan (sa quarterfinals) or kung sino man ‘yung makatapat namin,” Cignal head coach Shaq delos Santos said.
“But for us, ang main goal namin ay mag-focus muna sa team namin at paano namin mapapalakas pa, especially doon sa mga ginagawa naming game plans every training namin,” he added.
“Kailangang mas mag-level up ‘yung maging performance namin especially sa quarterfinals."
Former PVL MVP Ces Molina has been playing volleyball long enough to know what it takes to reach the pinnacle of the sport, having won multiple titles with Petron in the now-defunct Philippine Superliga.
With her club roaring to a 7-1 start, she knows that complacency will be the biggest hurdle of this squad moving forward.
“Biggest takeaway dito is parang never be complacent kasi lahat ng teams talagang you'll never know kung sino yung mananalo. Lahat kasi nagpalakas, lahat talagang nag-peprepare para dito and sobrang happy nga namin.
“Kailangan consistent ka from the beginning kasi iba ‘yung labanan, ang taas nu’ng labanan at yung level ng volleyball ngayon."
'(Shaq)cess' within reach
On the players’ end, Molina believes they have the right man and leader to steer the ship in delos Santos, a champion coach himself.
It will then be up to the rest of the HD Spikers to follow Coach Shaq’s lead and see where it all goes from there.
“Sa players' side naman, we leave that to the coaching staff kasi mas more on preparation kami as players and marami pa kaming lapses na kailangan i-correct,” she said.
“’Yung mga games namin before, ang dami naming weaknesses na lumabas at kailangan pa namin yun i-improve. ‘Yung makakalaban namin sa mga future games namin, binibigay na namin ‘yun sa coaching staff namin."
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