When the Premier Volleyball League’s bubble opens in the second quarter of the year, Rachel Daquis will relish every moment of it.
After all, she is finally back home.
“As we all know, doon talaga ako nag-start sa Shakey’s V-League. I’m really excited about the upcoming season. Ang dami na namin naririnig like lilipat kami sa PVL, pero wala talagang confirmation na talagang doon na kami,” the SVL Season 11 Open Conference MVP shared on The Game.
“But nung nag-announce na lilipat na talaga kami, we were all very excited kasi we are all prepared.”
It’s been six years since Daquis last stepped foot on a V-League court.
Her last stint in the V-League was back in 2015, when she was a guest player for the Philippine Army. During that time, she was also moonlighting as one of Petron’s aces in the Philippine Superliga.
However, the one-league rule was implemented a year later. The Far Eastern University legend would then sign with Cignal in 2017.
Compared to six years ago, Daquis believes that she can now say that she is indeed a veteran player.
Photo from Rivals.ph
“Super different. I’ve changed a lot at nag-mature. Nagiba din yung level ng paglalaro. Hindi mo rin masasabi na veteran ako noon, but now I am,” said Daquis, who played in the V-League from its inception until 2015.
“So ayun, I’m happy dahil doon ako nagsimula. Personally, gusto ko lagi na every year, every season, at every game, may pagbabago sa akin. Hindi ako nakokontento sa game ko last season. Gusto ko lagi nag-iimprove at may natututunan na bago.”
Despite now playing in the country’s only professional league for women’s volleyball, Daquis will never forget the time she spent in the PSL.
Daquis essentially grew up in the PSL. Besides acting as captain of Cignal over the last three years, the 5-foot-10 spiker was also the face of the league in 2018 when she became the league’s ambassador.
“Sobrang thankful din ako sa Cignal dahil binuo nila ako as a player. I’m really excited na babalik kami sa PVL. Pero siyempre, thankful din kami sa PSL dahil part sila ng history namin,” said the 2015 PSL All-Filipino Conference Finals MVP.
“Ayun, kahit lilipat na kami, hindi namin aalisin ‘yung memories namin sa PSL.”
