Jay Rack De La Noche carried extra motivation in Cignal’s crucial win over Kindai University in the 2025 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference.
Aside from keeping the Super Spikers in championship contention, De La Noche had added incentive: a chance for revenge against the Japanese guest squad — a team he had faced a couple of years earlier.
De La Noche first crossed paths with the same Japanese team during a tuneup in the national team’s training camp in Japan, while preparing for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games with the Philippine men’s volleyball team.
The 23-year-old winger and the Nationals came up short that time, losing to Kindai. But when the Japanese team returned to compete in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational, he patiently waited for his chance to settle the score.
“Opo, noong 2023 po. Kaso, as a national team po ako, before Cambodia po. Kasi kalaban namin Kindai,” De La Noche said.
“Siguro, yung pride ko sa loob ng team. Kasi [nakalaban] namin Japan. Gusto ko din na matalo sila. Kasi dati noong college po ako, hindi po kami basta-basta nananalo sa akin lang, katulad nung Kindai,” he added.
(C) Spikers’ Turf Images
De La Noche delivered 22 points on 19 attacks and three kill blocks in Cignal’s 25-20, 25-21, 24-26, 25-18 victory over Kindai University. He not only claimed sweet revenge, but kept the defending champions alive in the race for the gold medal match.
“Ayun ‘yung ginawa ko, ‘yung mindset ko ‘di ako papatalo kasi gusto ko tumulong sa team ko at mag-guide din sa mga kuya,” he said.
The former University of Santo Tomas standout admitted it was difficult to bounce back after their stunning straight-set loss to Savouge. Still, his determination to help the Super Spikers continue their title defense prevailed.
De La Noche vowed to bring the same intensity when they take on ProVolley Academy of Australia on Thursday in a last-ditch effort to save their season.
“Medyo mahirap kasi po eh. Kasi after ng loss namin sa Savouge, wala po kaming ensayo. Siguro, yung ginawa namin, yung mindset namin na hindi pa tapos yung laban kasi kaya pa namin manalo, tsaka yung pride talaga namin at saka puso,” De La Noche said.
“Patuloy pa rin yung trabaho namin sa ensayo, at sa akin po, tuloy-tuloy pa din yung mindset lagi sa game para hindi po ako mawawala sa in-game, tsaka tulong na din sa mga kuya. Maganda po kasi, pag nag-enjoy po kami sa loob ng court, wala masyadong pressure.”
