Shawie Caritativo was born to be a star—especially when the stakes are high and the pressure is intense.
Savouge pulled off the biggest upset of the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference elimination round early in the tournament, stunning Open Conference champions Cignal in a five-set thriller, 19-25, 27-25, 19-25, 25-23, 15-13.
Caritativo made an unforgettable debut with 19 points, including clutch hits that sealed the win.
On Friday evening, with a semifinal berth on the line, the 6-foot outside spiker once again rose to the occasion, leading the Spin Doctors to their first goal: breaking into the top four.
Facing collegiate powerhouse De La Salle-EcoOil, Caritativo played a pivotal role in Savouge’s commanding 25-23, 29-27, 25-18 victory at the Ynares Sports Arena. The win sparked jubilation for the squad, owned and coached by Sydney Calderon.
The 23-year-old standout from Rosales, Pangasinan, delivered an all-around performance with 16 points on 14 spikes, one block, and an ace, complemented by 10 excellent receptions and five digs.
(C) Spikers Turf Images
“Motivated lang talaga ako sa sinabi namin na gusto namin makaabot sa podium this Spikers’ Turf conference kaya pinagtiyagaan talaga namin sa training,” said Caritativo, a one-time Spikers’ Turf Press Corps Player of the Week.
To counter every move of the Green Oilers, the Spin Doctors committed to grueling training sessions for an entire week without rest.
“Hindi kami nagpahinga sa training kahit isang araw kahit sobrang sakit na ng katawan namin, diretso pa rin dedma lang kasi gusto talaga namin makapasok sa semis,” said Caritativo, who earned Player of the Game honors.
“Worth it talaga lahat ng pagod kasi nanalo kami dito sa game na ito at pasok na sa semis. Hindi namin iniisip kung masakit katawan namin, worth it naman lahat.”
Savouge joins Criss Cross, Cignal, and FEU-DN Steel in the semifinals, where the competition will heat up with the entry of a foreign guest team for the round-robin stage.
With the same determination and relentless grind, Caritativo and the Spin Doctors are set to showcase what Savouge volleyball is all about.
“Pagtatrabahuhan namin sa training tapos iaapply namin sa laro tapos ipapakita namin ang tunay na Savouge,” Caritativo declared.
