Months after withdrawing from the Air Force roster, towering middle blocker Dell Palomata is now back in the fold for the Jet Spikers.
The 6’3″ blocker was last seen in the 2016 Open Conference, but her full priority in academics made her drop out of the tourney as it approached its’ midway part.
But now that her focus shifts back to playing for Air Force, Palomata is now fully committed to the Jet Spikers without any conflicts.
“Enlisted personnel na po ako,” said Palomata regarding her return to the Air Force, in which she played her first game Saturday night versus UST.
Palomata scored four in the four-set loss — a loss she describes as a “heavy” one since PAF were coming off a championship run in the recent AFP-PNP Olympics.
It can be remembered that back in the 2016 Open Conference, the Jet Spikers were able to book themselves a slot in the Finals opposite of Pocari Sweat — all without her playing.
However, Air Force, in that best-of-three title series, lost to the Lady Warriors in three grueling games, thus settling for a silver medal finish in the conference.
The University of St. La Salle-Bacolod product believes that the Jet Spikers’ chances of bringing home the crown could have been brighter if she was present and playing.
“Kung nandoon ako, magiging malaki yung contribution ko,” said the Aklan-bred athlete. “Kulang kasi kami noon sa blockings.”
Now that Air Force is in a new conference spiced up by foreign reinforcements, Palomata still remains positive with how Air Force will fare with others, especially to those with imports.
“Siguro may chance. Pero pinaghahandaan naman namin yung magiging result ng bawat laban,” quipped the 20-year-old.
When asked what her and the team’s goal is, Palomata answered that they are gunning to make a deep run in the conference — even without imports beefing up their veteran-laden squad.
“[Goal lang namin is] makapasok lang [semis].”
