Myla Pablo and Motolite had the best possible opening salvo against reigning champion Creamline in Game One of the 2019 PVL Open Conference semifinals series, Saturday afternoon.
Dictating the tempo in the early goings en route to a convincing first set win, Motolite seemed on course to seize control in the succeeding frames with the same overwhelming pace.
“Noong first set talaga, doon namin nakita ‘yung teamwork as a team. Doon gumana ‘yung defense namin, communication namin as a team, and doon sa setter din namin,” Pablo recalled.
However, the disparity in experience proved costly for Motolite, which played its first semifinals match in franchise history.
While the Cool Smashers showcased their championship mettle even in the face of adversity, the more inexperienced Motolite slowly crumbled to the pressure as the match went on.
Before they knew it, the two-time PVL MVP and her sisters-in-arms had already fallen in a pit of despair.
“Noong second set, bumalik kami sa dati. Kumbaga nara-rattle na kami kaagad. Kapag lumalamang ‘yung Creamline, parang ‘yung confidence namin pababa eh,” Pablo assessed.
“Kapag lumalapit na ‘yung score, parang mismo kami, hindi namin alam kung anong gagawin sa loob ng court kahit alam namin na babawi ‘yung Creamline sa second set.”
Needless to say, Pablo and her teammates were well aware of the wasted opportunity in the series opener given the downcast atmosphere in Motolite’s dugout moments after the deflating loss to Creamline.
“Actually, malungkot talaga. For me din, malungkot kasi ako, as nakakatanda sa mga bata, mismo sa sarili ko, wala akong nagawa,” confessed Pablo, who only managed six points in four sets of action. ”
Alam kong isa ako sa inaasahan ng team kanina. Hindi ko nadala ‘yung team, kaming dalawa ni Iris [Tolenada].”
Still, the former National University standout admitted that Motolite simply gave in to the brilliance and depth of the Cool Smashers.
“Kahit wala si Aly and Jia, malakas pa rin naman sila eh. Andaming pamalit, kumabaga may Rose Vargas ka, may Fille Cainglet at Guinoo ka pa. Kahit hindi bumalik ‘yung dalawa, mananalo’t mananalo pa rin sila sa amin eh kasi buo sila eh, may tiwala sila sa bawat isa,” Pablo opined.
She then continued, “So ‘yun ‘yung kulang namin sa loob ng court. Kumbaga nawawalan kami ng kumpiyansa sa loob ng court, and then nara-rattle din kami, ‘yun din ‘yung kulang namin siguro. Kumbaga ‘yung kabilang team, relax[ed] lang sa loob ng court, kami parang nawawala kami ‘pag lumalamang ‘yung Creamline.”
With less than 24 hours before the win-or-go home Game Two on Sunday, Pablo believes that Motolite still has a good shot of forcing a rubber match as long as they perform the way they did in the match opener.
“Kasi alam niyo? Wala ng time mag-practice kasi tomorrow ‘yung Game Two. So sabi namin nila coach [Godfrey Okumu] sa meeting namin, wala na tayong time for practice, so ibigay namin ‘yung best natin,” she said. “Kumbaga ibalik namin ‘yung game namin noong first set, today ng Game One. Kung ganun nilaro namin, mananalo kami. Pero kapag… Kumabaga kung ganun nilalaro namin sa second set, ‘di kami mananalo eh.
“Ibibigay namin ‘yung best namin kasi Game Two na ‘to eh. Kumabaga [kung] makatsamba tayo tomorrow, may Wednesday pa.”
