Jewelle Bermillo bore the brunt of a disgruntled Danijela Dzakovic’s emotions after a costly miscommunication error at the tail-end of the first set Bali Pure’s loss to Creamline.
As the Cool Smashers led 24-19 in the opening salvo, Jema Galanza tried to clinch the set with an off-speed hit. And just like any libero, Bermillo went for the ball in an attempt to keep it alive for the Water Defenders. Unfortunately, Dzakovic also tried to receive it.
After both their arms collided and the ball landed on floor, in causation, the Bali Pure reinforcement suddenly swung her left hand at the libero’s nape. Bermillo then began tearing up, as her contact lens also fell out from the impact of Dzakovic’s strike.
Dzakovic was quick to apologize after the incident. She also said that she let her emotions get the best of her, and she surprised herself with her actions.
“I said, ‘I’m so sorry’. I’m so close to her and I love her, [so] I just hugged her since I cannot explain this,” the Montenegrin national confided. “I was not able to control my emotions.
“I have been playing volleyball for sixteen years, but this is the first time happening. I cannot believe it. I’m shocked.”
Still, despite what happened, Bermillo was quick to accept Dzakovic’s apology.
“Miscommunication kaming dalawa. Parehas kaming nag-mine, tapos parehas namin inattempt yung bola,” recalled Bermillo. “Nag-apologize naman siya. Sabi niya nadala lang siya sa emosyon niya.
“Sobrang nagulat ako. Tinawanan ko po, pero hindi ko napigilan sobrang sakit. Pero okay lang, part ng game,” Bermillo, who also plays for San Sebastian, added after Bali Pure suffered their 10th straight loss in its conference finale.
“Sa sobrang lakas po natanggal yung contact lens ko.”
Bali Pure head coach Rommel Abella also made it known that he did not like how his import had acted. Still, he admitted that he understood that Dzakovic was just frustrated and acted ill-mannered because she was in the heat of the moment.
“Sabi ko sa import namin, hindi maganda yung ginawa niya. Kahit sino or kahit saang country siya maglaro, dapat hindi ganun yung ginawa niya,” he said.
“Siguro nga frustration tsaka heat of the moment. Patong-patong na siguro sa kanya.”
