Cherry Nunag asserted that the overreach infraction called on her late in the fourth set in Game One should not have been penalized.
When the Cool Smashers sat at match point, 24-22, Petro Gazz tried to will a resurgence and regain momentum. As Jonah Sabete pounded the ball over Creamline’s side, the Cool Smashers read the attack and roofed Sabete.
Within her reach, the 5-foot-11 Nunag decided to stuff what seemed to be a freebie, but as she recalled, the ball never grazed her hand.
“Hindi overreach kasi hindi rin talaga tumama sa akin yung bola,” recounted Nunag, a product of De La Salle University – Dasmariñas.
“Kasi kung tumama sa akin dapat nagiba yung direksyon ng bola tsaka hindi naman setter yung humabol so hindi yun overreach kasi hindi naman ise-set e.”
Thinking that the potential momentum-swinging play went to their favor, the Angels prepared for another rally. But referee Yul Benosa blew a relatively-late whistle and decided that Nunag overreached – a decision that sealed the fate of Petro Gazz in the first game of the championship series.
“Kung cinall nila sa akin dapat cinall na nila before pa humaba ng humaba yung rally ang tagal kasi hinintay muna nilang maging point namin yung point bago nila i-call,” the 24-year-old Nunag bared.
“Basta hindi siya katanggap tanggap kasi sayang e point na namin tapos biglang may call na ganun tapos parang ang tagal pumito ng referee tapos in-award sa kanila,” she continued.
“What if pala kung umover yung bola hindi nila ica-call yun? Diba ang unfair lang din.”
Still, what’s done is done and the Angels are looking to funnel their anger to motivation for Game Two come Saturday.
