While there were regrets after losing their first game of the 2024 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference against Akari, head coach Roger Gorayeb highlighted the significant improvements Capital1 made during the break.
The Solar Spikers fell to the Chargers on Thursday but fought hard, losing 18-25, 25-27, 25-22, 14-25 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig, starting 0-1 in Pool B.
“Nakakahinayang kasi okay na ‘yung first set. Pero ‘yung second kasi was very, very close. Nauna pa kami sa last, eh. But we weren’t able to capitalize on it, kaya nakakahinayang ‘yung second set. Had we won the second set, nagfi-fifth set kami ngayon,” said Gorayeb, referring to their narrow 24-23 lead in the second set before losing it.
“Pero okay lang, maganda na ‘yung team kumpara du’n sa first conference namin. ‘Yung depensa namin, malakas e. Maayos ‘yung depensa namin. ‘Yun lang opensa. Talagang ‘di namin alam bakit nag-struggle kami on offense,” continued the veteran coach, still satisfied with their performance.
The Solar Spikers made major changes after the All-Filipino Conference, where they finished 11th with a 1-10 record. They signed setter Iris Tolenada, spikers Shola Alvarez and Ayumi Furukawa, and middle blocker Julia Ipac.
They also added Russian spiker Marina Tushova as their reinforcement and selected Leila Cruz, Roma Mae Doromal, and Jenya Torres in the league’s inaugural rookie draft.
(C) Joaqui Flores/PVL
“Aangat na kami. Umangat na nga kaunti, ‘di ba. Para sa akin, umangat na ‘yan. Malaking tulong ‘yang mga batang ‘yan,” said Gorayeb, praising Cruz and Doromal for their positive impact on the game.
“All they need to do is develop their confidence and integrate into the team, kasi ‘di mo maiiwasan, mahiyain, ‘di masyado nagsasalita, ‘yun pa naman ayaw ko.”
Seeing his team’s development, the experienced tactician is optimistic about their future.
He emphasized that they had achieved this progress in just five months, noting that they are still a new squad trying to adapt to the high level of competition in the PVL.
(C) PVL Images
“’Yung team na ‘to kasi, is less than six months. Five months pa lang kami ha, baka kasi nakakalimot ‘yung iba. But we move like an old team. Pero less than six months pa lang kami,” said a proud Gorayeb.
“Malay natin. Six months? Paano na kaya ‘pag nag-one year kami. Ano na kaya hitsura namin? Maganda, kaya something to look forward to.”
Up next for Capital1 in Pool B is Petro Gazz on Tuesday at 5:00 PM, followed by matches against Cignal, Choco Mucho, and ZUS Coffee.
With the way his team performed against Akari, Gorayeb is confident that the Solar Spikers are now a formidable opponent.
“Para sa amin, nakakatakot na siguro rin kaming kalaban, na hindi kami pwedeng… they cannot think less of us. Iba na kumilos, eh.”
