Alohi Robins-Hardy will not suit up for Cignal in the upcoming 2021 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference.
Cignal captain Rachel Daquis bared the development on Power and Play, Saturday, that Robins-Hardy won’t be able to make it in the PVL bubble in Ilocos Norte, commencing on July 17.
“Si Alohi, hindi po makakasama sa amin this season, so ang setter po naming bago si Ayel Estrañero,” said the V-League Season 11 Conference Most Valuable Player.
And so head coach Shaq Delos Santos recent directives to her team are more on defense.
Libero Jheck Dionela, meanwhile, emphasized that with the loss of height at the net, they must strengthen their floor defense.
“Ngayon, we’re focusing more on defense kasi sabi nga ni Coach Shaq, ‘Kung hindi man namin makuha sa taas, sa baba namin kukunin’,” said the multi-time Best Libero.
“Kasi matatangkad nga ‘yung ibang teams, tapos kami medyo may mga nawalang matatangkad. So, kailangan naming i-balance so defense at receive yung pinakatinututukan namin.”
Surely, it would be a big gap to fill for Estrañero and Pauline Cardiente — literally and figuratively. The 6-foot-3 Robins-Hardy proved to play a huge role in the HD Spikers’ success in the past.
In the 2019 season of PSL, out of the three conferences, Cignal reached the podium twice.
The more impressive feat came in the PSL All-Filipino Conference. There, the HD Spikers upset powerhouse Petron in the semifinals to reach the final. They then bowed to eventual champions F2.
To top it all off, the Fil-American was heralded the Best Setter of the tourney.
