CANDON CITY – Myla Pablo found extra motivation from the roaring crowd in Petro Gazz’s straight-sets victory over Farm Fresh on Saturday at the Candon City Arena.
Stepping into the starting six due to Jonah Sabete’s absence caused by a strained left calf, Pablo made the most of her opportunity, leading the Angels to a dominant 25-21, 25-17, 25-19 win over the young Foxies in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
The lively crowd of 3,947 warmly welcomed Pablo during the starting lineup introductions, fueling her confidence after spending the past two conferences mostly on the bench.
“Na-miss ko ‘yung ganung tawag kasi sabi ko nga sa inyo, dalawang conference akong hindi gaano naglaro or di nababad. Parang na-feel ko ‘yung sarili ko kanina, na-miss ko ‘yung ganung sigaw na ‘Myla Pablo,’” said the 31-year-old winger.
“Parang sabi ko, pagkakataon ko na ito na maglaro. Ibibigay ko ‘yung best ko at ‘yung tiwala ng mga coaches.”
(C) PVL Images
Pablo, a two-time PVL MVP, had only scored a combined three points in Petro Gazz’s first two games against Choco Mucho and Creamline. However, she capitalized on her rare starting opportunity this time, delivering 11 points, including two kill blocks.
“Sobrang nakakatuwa kasi same language, Ilocano, so nakaka-touch din. Siyempre, ang daming fans na sumusuporta sa volleyball community, lalo na sold out ‘yung tickets,” said Pablo, who hails from Tarlac.
“Sobrang happy kasi naglalaro kami sa ganito kadaming fans, and for sure maraming mga Ilocano ang nanonood.”
Despite her strong showing, Pablo admitted she has yet to regain her peak form but promised to continue working hard as she vies for a consistent spot in the rotation.
“Actually, ngayon kasi hindi pa talaga ako ‘yung full na naglalaro. Naninibago ako ngayon, especially sa court, sa pagod ng mga rally. Kasi in those two conferences, hindi ako ganun kababad. So this time talaga, it’s my first game na babad. Kailangan talaga trabahuin sa training,” she explained.
With her inspiring performance and the crowd’s unwavering support, Pablo looks poised to make her case as a key contributor for the Angels this conference.
