WITH retirement already in mind, Jovelyn Gonzaga continues to relish what might just be one of the last few chapters in her decorated volleyball career.
ZUS Coffee leaned on the 32-year-old veteran winger in a resurgent 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference campaign that now has them one win away from a breakthrough semifinals appearance after a 25-21, 25-23, 27-25 sweep of No. 2 seed Petro Gazz.
In the win, Gonzaga fired 11 points.
READ: ZUS pulls upset rug on Petro Gazz to keep Cinderella run going
“Wala kaming expectations, actually. Ang amin lang is pupunta kami sa loob, magpe-perform kami ng best namin, we will give our best and believe that God will do the rest talaga,” Gonzaga told SPIN.ph.
“For now, ife-feel namin yung panalo pero no room for complacency kasi Petro Gazz yan. Alam natin kung anong kaya nilang gawin.”
Eight years since her last championship win with Cignal in the defunct Philippine Superliga, Gonzaga went through hell and back as she dealt with multiple injury spells, switching teams and the pandemic that took precious time away from her ticking time bomb of a career.
She’s long craved for the taste of gold again, and will do everything in her power to pull off the improbable and lead the young Thunderbelles to the Promised Land.
“Sa eight years na yun, nasa mindset na naman ako for retirement talaga. Very vocal ako sa stage ng retirement ko,” Gonzaga bared.
“Bumalik ako, pumunta ako sa ZUS, nabuhay ulit yung passion ko and thankful ako du’n. Ine-enjoy ko ang natitirang years, games na ilalaro ko pa pero anytime soon, iniisip ko na talaga yung retirement.”
Gonzaga’s story so far — one she hopes to instill to her young ZUS Coffee cohorts — is to never say die up until the very end as she rides into the sunset of one of the most charismatic figures to have ever graced the sport.
“Gusto kong iwan sa kanila yung never say die attitude. Wala ka na ngang aayusin sa kanila kasi ang babait at sumusunod kung anong instruction mo sa kanila or anumang ire-relay mo sa kanila.
“Yun talaga yung naging sikreto din siguro ng team namin. Gusto ko lang din na maalala nila ako bilang ate na nakaunang makapag-papasok sa kanila dito sa quarterfinals and hopefully sa semifinals.”
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.
