THE Adamson Lady Falcons face more roster issues ahead of the UAAP Season 82 women’s volleyball tournament as do-it-all spiker Bern Flora decided to skip her final year of eligibility.
Adamson head coach Lerma Giron confirmed the development, but did not provide details.
“Nagsabi siya kaso baka iba rin yung prioridad,” said Giron.
Flora was Adamson’s leading scorer last year averaging 10.36 points per match and also provided tremendous defensive effort. She played for Motolite in the Premier Volleyball League.
The Lady Falcons are also set to start without Chiara Permentilla, who has yet to recover from an ACL injury.
Giron said Adamson is not rushing Permentilla’s return from a torn ACL in her left knee sustained while playing for Marinerang Pilipina in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference last July.
“Sa ngayon ayaw natin pwersahin e, ayaw natin itake risk siya na minadali natin pero in the long run baka mapasama pa. So she’s taking time, we’re giving her time na makarecover doon sa injury nya,” said Giron.
The Filipina-Italian hitter averaged 8.14 points last season.
“Sabi ko sa kanya, tiyaga ka lang paghandaan mo palakas ka para pag time mo na, e di todo ulit,” she added.
Giron will be leaning on younger spikers led by Trisha Genesis, Ceasa Pinar and rookie hitter Lucille Almonte to fill in the void left by Permentilla and Flora as well as Eli Soyud, who graduated last year together with Joy Dacoron.
Despite the roster problems, Giron believes the young Lady Falcons will be able to rise from last season’s eighth place finish, especially with the arrival of UAAP champion coach Tai Bundit as Adamson trainer and consultant.
“Walang changes na madali, walang changes na instant. If you’re having a new system may phase doon na talagang nasa transition,” Giron said. “I can say na until now nasa transition kami pero nakalampas na kami sa introduction. Medyo nakakaadapt na kami kahit kaunti.”
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