MADDIE Madayag was back like she never left since being sidelined for nearly two years due to her ACL injury.
The 5-foot-11 middle blocker shook off any first-game jitters in her comeback and posted team-high 11 points in her first starting game since the 2021 PVL Open Conference in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte to lead Choco Mucho's opening season victory against Akari.
But for Madayag, her comeback would not be as stellar as it was if not for the trust of new Flying Titans head coach Dante Alinsunurin.
Maddie Madayag on comeback
"I'm very happy na binigyan ako ni Coach Dante ng opportunity na 'to, for my redemption, kasi ang tagal nung recovery ko and sobrang sakit nung pagkabagsak ko noon," she said after sparking Choco Mucho's late-game runs to sweep Akari in its 2023 All-Filipino Conference debut on Saturday.
"Sobrang saya lang na nakabawi ako ngayong game. But syempre, hindi lang kami titigil sa game na to, tuloy tuloy parin," she added.
Madayag suffered her second ACL injury during Choco Mucho's battle for bronze game against Petro Gazz in PVL's first tournament in the pandemic. She skipped the 2022 Open and Invitational Conference before playing as a service specialist in the Reinforced Conference.
Now fully recovered and in top shape, Madayag sparked Choco Mucho's identical 7-1 run mid-game in the second and third sets to finish with nine attacks, one block, and an ace.
Despite a laudable performance that earned her the Player of the Game honors, the former Ateneo standout downplayed the post-game award as she solely focused on Choco Mucho's podium bid.
"Hindi ko naman iniisip yung POG, no? Syempre, kahit anong way na I can contribute to the team, gagawin ko naman," she said.
"Plus points nalang yung POG kasi ibig sabihin mas gumagana yung sistema na gusto i-apply ni Coach Dante sa amin,' she added.
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