Right after addressing the media, Dawn Macandili scurried out of the FilOil Flying V Centre press room clutching a bouquet of flowers nearly as tall as her on one hand and a shiny silver plaque on the other. At the door, Macandili’s parents met her with an embrace.
“You made history anak,” Macandili’s father exclaimed as he clutched his daughter.
Indeed, Macandili had made history. Great liberos have come and gone in volleyball but very few were impactful and be named MVP.
Macandili is the first in a long line of legendary local liberos – which includes Lizlee Ann Gata-Pantone, Melissa Gohing, Denden Lazaro – to be named MVP, the most important player on a championship team.
The 5’0’’ Macandili may not be as tall as her teammates, but she was the catalyst to F2 Logistics’ run to the PSL AFC title. Macandili had dazzled spectators with near omnipresence on the court; diving, leaping, and belly-flopping to save points.
Although her teammates Ara Galang, Aby Maraño and Kim Dy did the spiking, Macandili made sure most of the first touches were clean and on-point, enough for them to get a good attack.
“Siyempre masaya po. Hindi ko naman talaga ine-expect kasi, usually, hindi naman sa libero nabibigay ang MVP,” Macandili told the media after F2 took the deciding Game Three, Wednesday evening.
She was asked if she could rank herself among the current liberos?
“May ranking ba?” Macandili shyly answered.
The longtime La Sallian had always been a libero. She won a title in the UAAP Juniors division then took home a Seniors championship just this past season; both she won with decorated mentor, Ramil de Jesus.
READ: THE RISE OF DAWN MACANDILI
“Sa akin naman saludo naman ako kay Dawn kahit anong mangyari. Hindi ko lang sinasabi sa kanila na ‘ang galing-galing mo na.’”
“Hindi nila naririnig sa akin ‘yun. Pero on my side talaga happy ako para sa kanya [at] sa nangyayari sa kanya ngayon and then sa improvement ng nilalaro niya ngayon as a player as a libero,” de Jesus gushed of his longtime libero.
With Macandili’s win, liberos everywhere might finally get the overdue recognition they rightfully deserve.
“Para po ito sa lahat ng mga libero. Kahit hindi tayo matangkad, kaya pa ‘rin natin makapag-contribute para sa team,” Macandili closed.
