After a historic outing on Thursday, Marina Tushova is one of one.
The Russian outside spiker reset the Premier Volleyball League record books by scoring 45 points, setting a new benchmark for the most points by a single player in a single game.
Tushova surpassed Priscilla Rivera’s 44 points from the 2022 Reinforced Conference, achieved in Akari’s five-set win against Choco Mucho. And it happened dramatically.
Her final point – which secured her place in the record books – gave Capital1 its second win in the 2024 Reinforced Conference, also against the Flying Titans.
They came away with a 13-25, 25-21, 18-25, 25-20, 15-13 victory on Thursday night at the Philsports Arena.
For the 6-foot reinforcement, who has energized the Solar Spikers, it was head coach Roger Gorayeb who truly unleashed her potential against Choco Mucho.
(C) PVL Images
“I’m not that emotional as a player, but here I needed it. The team helps me with it. Every day, even in practice, I come in and the girls are always smiling and asking me to show the same emotions,” said Tushova, who celebrated each point she scored.
“So here, I can see the difference when I play with emotions and when I don’t. Coach, you told me the same, right? You told me you wanted to hear me. So when everyone can hear me, I do a better job,” she added.
Tushova also mentioned the different kinds of stress she’s been experiencing lately, using the volleyball court as a form of release and truly making it her playground.
She achieved her 45 points by hammering 43 attacks, adding one block and one ace. She also excelled defensively with 18 excellent receptions and 12 digs.
“I couldn’t sleep last night, and I couldn’t eat today. It was like this. I was fighting with my stress all these days. Yes, it was another preparation. Some things I cannot share with you all, but it was different,” Tushova said about her routine on the day of her historic performance.
(C) PVL Images
Despite her record-breaking feat, she remains focused, knowing that the job is just beginning. With Capital1 at 2-2 and in third place in Pool B, they will close out the first round against the winless ZUS Coffee on Tuesday.
And she views this achievement as just one game.
“All game I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. That’s why I kept pushing myself to do more. So about these 45 points, it’s good for sure, but it doesn’t mean I’m at the top of my career or better than anyone else. It’s just one game, and today it was like this,” Tushova said.
“I’m proud of myself, I really am. But for now, I don’t feel it at all,” she said after the two-hour, 33-minute marathon.
