Cignal middle blocker Roselyn Doria credited the pep talk she received from her teammates, which led to her explosive performance in the fourth set and ultimately helped the HD Spikers clinch the bronze medal in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League Invitationals Conference.
Doria scored 10 points, with seven of them coming in the fourth and final set, helping Cignal stave off F2 Logistics in the battle for bronze. The HD Spikers won the four-setter, 25-22, 25-23, 25-20, 25-18, Sunday afternoon, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The 5-foot-11 Pangasinense native led the HD Spikers, scoring five of the seven Cignal points needed to build an eight-point lead in their fourth-set romp against the Cargo Movers.
“Siguro naisip ko para sa teammates ko ‘yon. Kasi aminado ako na sa first two sets parang wala ako, lutang. Kaya nung kinausap ako ng mga teammates ko, coaches ko, sobrang laki ng tiwala nila kaya ginawa ko lang yung best ko para sa team,” said Doria.
For Cignal head coach Shaq Delos Santos, he did not expect anything less from Doria, who served as one of the bright spots in their training before their battle against F2 Logistics.
Even a terrific player like Doria, who bagged back-to-back middle blocker accolades in the 2022 PVL Open Conference and Reinforced Conference, Delos Santos called her out multiple times in their workouts. But the former Lady Bulldog did not take offense; she continued to listen and grind, hoping to defend Cignal’s bronze finish in last year’s Invitationals.
“To be honest, inexpect ko talaga na maglalaro siya ng maayos kasi grabe siya sa training everyday. Dami namin cinocorrect, pero hindi siya nagsstop, more on nakikinig lang, inaapply niya lang kung ano gagawin,” shared Delos Santos.
“Yung last usap namin kahapon sa training, ‘Paluin mo lang ng diretso, okay na tayo diyan.’ Nakita namin kanina kung gaano niya talaga kagusto paluin at patayin talaga yung bola,” he added. (Ernest Martin Tuazon)
