The biggest match of the PSL season featured two of the best setters in the country today. F2 Logistics’ Kim Fajardo steered her young team past the seasoned RC Cola-Army side led by veteran Tina Salak.
The Cargo Movers had the match well in hand, taking the first two sets until Salak hopped off the Army bench and put on a fantastic display of playmaking to force a fifth set.
Well past her prime, the 40-year old Salak has been battling Father Time and several nagging injuries which hampers her from playing longer minutes.
Fajardo, just 23 years old and tagged as the future of Philippine volleyball at the setter position, savored the front row seat to Salak’s master class.
“Kanina habang game talagang pinapanuod ko kung paano siya magbigay ng bola. Sobrang galing talaga ni Ate Tina – kahit matagal na ‘yung mga rally nakakahanap pa rin siya ng paraan mabigay ng maganda ‘yung bola sa spiker.”
“Talagang napapadali niya ‘yung buhay ng mga spiker niya,” the Batangas-native declared.
Fajardo tossed more excellent sets than Salak, 42-31, but the reigning UAAP Best Setter insists than there is more to setting than excellent sets.
“Marami kang kailangan gawin kapag setter. Ang importante talaga kailangan lagi ka lang composed para ma-set mo lagi ‘yung atake,” the setter for the PSL-select team said.
“Si Ate Tina kita mo talaga sa kanya ‘yung pagiging leader niya ‘rin at ‘yung never-say-die attitude.”
With her mean serve, extraordinary height at the position, and ability to score off acrobatic drop balls, Fajardo displays a lot of similarities with a young Tina Salak. The two-time UAAP champion admits that she still seeks the Army legend’s advice.
“Madalas pa rin akong humihingi ng advice sa kanya. Ang difference talaga namin is mas malaki pa ‘rin siya sa akin at saka iba pa ‘rin ‘yung mga galaw niya sa galaw ko.”
