MONTALBAN, Rizal — Uncertainty clouded Kat Tolentino in her prolonged volleybal hiatus.
First, auditory problems forced Tolentino to hit pause on Choco Mucho duties in April last year when she revealed going deaf in her left ear for nine months at the time.
Adding insult to injury was the appendicitis diagnosis she had to go through during her 30th birthday in a hospital room at the start of the year.
It came to a point where the Fil-Canadian spiker ‘forced herself’ to trust the process which allowed her to keep her head up in the midst of what seemed to be an unending downward spiral.
“I guess I had no choice but to be patient and to just wait until I was ready,” Tolentino said.
“I was able to put that in the team that they welcomed me back with open arms. It took a long time, I know, but I had to make sure that I was mentally and physically healthy and ready to come back 100 percent.
“I didn't want it to be something that I felt forced to do and I'm just really happy to be back.”
True to her word, Tolentino’s readiness to hit the hardcourt again was on display, as she energized the Flying Titans' 33-31, 26-24, 25-23 sweep of Capital1 with a team-high 15 points and 11 digs.
Worth the wait
It was as if Choco Mucho head coach Dante Alinsunurin continues to be struck by a troubling dose of bad luck conference after conference with waves of player injuries and absences.
Tolentino, having been dealt a double whammy, was arguably the toughest pill to swallow, as her recovery hit multiple roadblocks.
But through it all, Alinsunurin kept tabs on one of the team’s pioonering stars and never lost faith on having her services back for his ailing side.
READ: Choco Mucho spoils Belen's Capital1 debut after three close sets
That long wait is finally over, and the veteran mentor couldn’t be more relieved and pleased to see one of his top guns back in full strength.
“Saludo ako kay Kat kasi every time na may nangyayari sa kanya, sobra ‘yung pasensya niya. Gustong-gusto niya makabalik sa sitwasyon na ‘to,” he said.
“Nu’ng una, akala ko November pa siya makabalik sa amin. Sobrang naging thankful ako na nalaman ko na nag-start na siya sa full-time training at ngayon, proud ako sa naging performance niya kasi talagang binigay niya yung best niya.
“Nu’ng una, kinakabahan pa rin ako kasi nga first time niya ulit at baka magkaproblema. Pero ‘yun, naging normal na yung galaw niya sa first set at sobrang nagtiwala pa rin ako sa kanya.”
As such, that comeback outing of hers in Rizal was a performance as loud and clear as can be.
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