CHALLENGED by Oliver Almadro to bring back her NCAA MVP form, Grethcel Soltones has made it her mission in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference, just to repay the faith of her new coach at Petro Gazz.
And to prove her doubters wrong.
"Sobrang thankful ako kasi parang ganun pala yung tiwala nila sa akin eh kalaban ko dati 'to eh [Almandro]," she said after delivering 14 points in Petro Gazz's emphatic 28-26, 25-18, 25-13 sweep of Cignal on Saturday at Philsports Arena.
READ: Petro Gazz asserts mastery of Cignal
"Ang goal ko talaga is yung mapatunayan [na] deserve ko kung nasaan ako nilagay ni coach ngayon and sa mga taong hindi naniniwala sa 'kin dati," the 2017 PVL Open Conference Finals MVP added.
Almadro shared he had been challenging Soltones to regain her peak form - more specifically, the Soltones who won the NCAA MVP title thrice in her collegiate career.
"Sabi ko kay Gretch, 'Ibalik natin yung Prime Grethcel.' Tapos sabi niya, 'Sige coach, trabahuhin natin yan,'" Almadro said.
Although Soltones has become a two-way weapon for the Angels after averaging 11.3 points in the last three games, the former San Sebastian standout admitted she is far from where she used to be.
"Sobrang dami ko pang bigas na kakainin bago ko ma-reach yung goal," she said."Maraming mga players na mas malakas. So kung ano yung meron ngayon, dapat i-embrace ko yung meron ngayon kasi yung dati, bata pa tayo eh, so mas marami tayong magagawa. Ngayon, utak-utak talaga."
The 2022 PVL Reinforced Conference champions, who are sitting on a 2-1 record for solo fourth, will try to establish a winning streak when they face a PLDT side now handled by former Angels coach Rald Ricafort.
The game is on Thursday at FilOil EcoOil Centre.
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