The past three days have been an emotional roller-coaster for the Pocari Sweat Lady Warriors.
Last Saturday, the Lady Warriors, powered by the returns of the Smash Sisters, were able to pick up their fifth win in the SVL’s Open Conference against fellow-favorites Bali Pure Purest Water Defenders in an epic come-from-behind, five-set victory.
Two days later, disaster struck for the Lady Warriors, as the rebuilding Philippine Air Force Jet Spikers, even without the services of revelation Dell Palomata, defeated Pocari Sweat in four sets to hand the Lady Dubs their first loss of the season. Moreover, the loss also dropped Pocari Sweat to the second seed in the next round, where they will face a dangerous Water Defenders squad.
“Natalo kami today so malaki yung hugot namin para bumawi,” said a deflated team captain Michele Gumabao.
“Ako personally hindi pa ko maka-get over pero nandiyan na yan. Kelangan bumawi and kelangan mag-move on,” she added. “This will push us more and will make winning much more sweeter. Eto na siguro yung push para magpursigi pa kami.”
In her second game back from injury, Gumabao tallied 10 markers, seven coming from attacks and two coming from aces. However, the Lady Warriors committed an uncharacteristic 27 errors in the game.
For Gumabao, she hopes that she and her teammates wake up from the cloud nine that they had been in for months, saying, “Hindi ka kasi puwedeng nananalo palagi dahil nakakalimutan mo na may mas magaling sa iyo or may kayang tumalo sa iyo. At siyempre nakakalimutan mo rin gawin yung tama.”
In addition to the emotional drop-off the team are experiencing, the open hitter added that the physical exertion had taken its toll. “Feeling ko, pagod kami from Saturday,” rued the other half of the Smash Sisters rued. “Tuloy-tuloy yung games, tuloy-tuloy yung training, wala pa kaming pahinga for two weeks. Tamang pakondisyon lang naman.”
“But it’s not an excuse, walang excuse sa nangyari kanina kung hindi kami talaga ang may kasalanan.”
Gumabao believes that her team will use this as fuel in their upcoming three-game semifinals series against the Bali Pure.
“Talo kami kanina kaya push lang sa Wednesday. Natalo namin sila nung Saturday kakayanin namin sa Wednesday,” she said with fire in her eyes. “Basta maglaro lang kami as a team, maglaro lang kami ng tama, at huwag kaming gagalaw ng parang ginalaw namin kanina.”
