Rachel Daquis put up a vintage performance on Wednesday when Cignal opened its 2022 PVL Open Conference at Paco Arena and Sports Center.
Against defending champion Chery Tiggo, Daquis dropped 14 points built on nine attacks, four blocks, and an ace.
And she did so in her first game back wearing jersey no. 3 — the number she wore during her time at Far Eastern University.
“Rebirth.
“Ang ganda nung nagging career ko sa FEU nung number 3 ako,” the 5-foot-10 spiker out of Taytay, Rizal shared.
Ever since graduating from FEU, Daquis only got the chance to wear jersey no. 3 in Petron back in 2015.
Legendary was that team as it won the PSL All-Filipino Cup via a 12-0 sweep.
But during her time with Army and during her first five years with Cignal, she wore jersey no. 13.
“Actually, lucky din naman yung 13 pero binalik ko lang siya para ma-feel ko yung younger Rachel at rebirth na kaya ko pang maglaro.”
Proud was Shaq delos Santos of Daquis’ stand against the Crossovers.
Moreover, the former national team head coach said that seeing Daquis work inspires him to push harder as well.
“Siyempre una, nakaka-proud si Rachel. Grabe yung nagging effort niya to stop Mylene. Naging player ko si Mylene dati and knowing her, pagnaglalaro siya sobrang all out,” he said.
“Kitang-kita naman kanina sa laro niya. Nakaka-proud. Knowing her, batang-bata pa rin kung laro. Kailangan na lagi naming siya mai-ready. Sana maibalance ko rin lagi yung players ko pati yung coaching staff.”
As Daquis enters her 13th year in the circuit, Daquis is out to prove one thing — that at the age of 34, “she still has it.
“Age is just a number.”
