IT was a long and winding road back to the volleyball taraflex for Leila Cruz, but she might have just found her home in the pros for good.
Or better yet, the right home found her.
READ: Capital1 completes monumental upset in sweep of Petro Gazz
Prior to the Premier Volleyball League’s (PVL) inaugural draft night, Capital1 already had their sights set on Cruz to become their No. 2 overall pick ahead of what is now their sophomore conference.
And so they did.
Still, it was a gamble for the Solar Spikers to choose Cruz as their franchise player and instant game-changer after over a year of absence following a right ACL tear in her final UAAP match for La Salle back in Season 85.
But as the former Lady Spiker made significant progress in her recovery and is back in playing shape, it was her height advantage at 6-foot-1 and her undeniable skillset that made her the final piece of Capital1’s rebuild puzzle.
Leila’s on the rise, for sure
Cruz began her PVL career alongside her pursuit of regaining lost ground in terms of in-game readiness and physical mettle.
She had six points on average from their opening-day loss to Akari and breakthrough upset sweep of Petro Gazz.
But once she hits peak form on all fronts, Capital1 head coach Roger Gorayeb couldn’t be more thrilled at the prospect of what could still be for his rising star.
“Si Leila kasi right now, I think she is not yet 100 percent. Paano na lang kapag nag-100 percent na itong batang ito? Saan pa sila pupulutin? But slowly, we do it slowly. We don’t have to rush,” he said.
“The tournament is just starting. Marami pang matututunan like ‘yung defense patterns namin. Medyo naliligaw-ligaw siya du’n, but she’s willing to learn naman.”
Time can wait for Cruz
In over a year since she last saw action as a college ace, there’s new levels to the game that Gorayeb believes Cruz has yet to discover and reach.
But with the kind of work ethic she has already exhibited, the veteran mentor has no doubt about the growth of a player like Cruz, who’s been very much willing to be taught new tricks.
“Kaya lang siyempre, she got used to her old style of defense. Ngayon, parang after niya magpahinga, ganito na pala, iba na pala. But she’s open to good ideas, ‘Di naman siya ‘yung player na nagrereklamo ‘pag pinagalitan mo. Actually, ‘di ko naman siya pinapagalitan. Gusto mo?” the always-amiable mentor said in jest.
“Maayos, maayos yung bata. Mabait. Sana tuloy-tuloy na.”
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