MINGLANILLA — Dimdim Pacres, Krich Macaslang, and Rica Rivera may have had varying fortunes in their Cebu homecoming, but they all shared a sense of pride in being part of a historic event for Philippine volleyball.
The Premier Volleyball League held its first-ever professional match in the Queen City of the South on Saturday night at the Minglanilla Sports Complex here.
For the three Cebuana spikers, it was an honor to contribute to this milestone and a rare opportunity they deeply cherished.
“It was so good. It was such a privilege na makalaro dito sa Cebu kasi ito ‘yung first na naglaro ‘yung pro [volleyball] dito, and I’m so happy kasi sa first na naglaro dito [yung PVL], kasali ako at nakapaglaro ako in my hometown,” shared Pacres, a native of Mandaue City.
“Thank you to all PVL fans, to the management for bringing us here, and to my family as well for watching us,” added Rivera, who studied at the University of San Jose-Recoletos.
For Macaslang, the match went beyond showcasing her skills – it was a celebration of how far volleyball has come in Cebu.
“Siyempre, sobrang na-excite ako kasi first time ‘to. It’s been a long time na rin nagre-request ‘yung family ko and ‘yung friends ko na sana sa Cebu naman daw ‘yung PVL,” said Macaslang, who honed her talents at the University of San Carlos before continuing her volleyball journey at Adamson University in Manila.
“So ngayon ‘yung chance namin na maipakita kung gaano nag-evolve and kaganda ‘yung PVL,” she added.
Macaslang’s Nxled Chameleons suffered a straight-set loss to league leader Cignal, 18-25, 22-25, 23-25, in the opening match. Despite a spirited fightback in the final frame, the Chameleons dropped to 0-5 in the tournament.
Macaslang, a 24-year-old middle blocker, tallied three points, including a block.
(C) PVL Images
Meanwhile, Pacres emerged victorious over her former college teammate Rivera in the nightcap. Pacres’ Galeries Tower earned its first win of the all-local conference, defeating Rivera’s Capital1, 26-24, 25-14, 25-23.
The Highrisers’ opposite spiker chipped in a solitary point off the bench, while Rivera, the Solar Spikers’ defensive ace, played limited minutes, featuring only in the first two sets.
Both teams now share identical 1-4 records, tied at the 10th spot.
Though their court time was limited, the three Cebuanas received the loudest cheers from the Minglanilla Sports Complex’s energized crowd. The first game drew 4,205 fans, and attendance swelled to 5,520 for the second match.
“Grabe, grabe. I didn’t expect na ganito pala sila sumuporta sa Cebu kasi since I played in Manila, and it’s my first time playing here. Akala namin medyo konti lang or sakto lang [yung manonood],” Macaslang said. Her family, friends, former teammates, and teachers were among those who showed up to cheer her on.
“Yung iba, I think, nag-travel pa talaga ng sobrang tagal para pumunta dito, and I appreciate their efforts na they’re showing their support for women in volleyball,” added Macaslang, who hails from Sabang, Danao City, roughly 44 kilometers from the venue.
Pacres echoed the sentiment: “Sobrang nakakatuwa kasi iba rin talaga ‘yung atmosphere dito, ang saya. I have my family here and friends supporting.”
Moved by the overwhelming support from their kababayans, Macaslang pledged to continue representing Cebu with pride on the national stage.
“Syempre gusto ko mapakita na may ibubuga rin ‘yung mga taga-Cebu, and hindi lang sa Manila ‘yung volleyball. It’s also here in Cebu, and players from Cebu are really improving. A lot of players from Manila came from Cebu, mga Bisaya, so I’m proud to represent them and I’m proud to be Bisaya also,” she declared.
