Playing with a ‘nothing to lose’ mindset, Greg Dolor and the rest of the PGJC-Navy Sealions achieved the improbable on Sunday by swimming through turbulent waters to come back from a deep 0-2 hole and defeat the D’Navigators.
After a lethargic start in the opener and a close encounter in the second, the Sealions found themselves in the depths but managed to find their way back and take down the D’Navigators in five sets: 18-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23, 20-18, in the semifinals of the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
“Yung sinabi ko sa mga teammates ko, wala nang mawawala. Kumbaga, ibigay na lang natin ang ating best, i-enjoy lang natin, para lang tayong nage-ensayo, para lumabas ang laro ng bawat isa,” said team captain Dolor.
“Kapag masyado nating iniisip ang laro, parang nagiging kaba. Maglaro lang kayo, normal lang, normal lang ang laro natin,” he added.
(C) Joaqui Flores/Spikers Turf
The former Far Eastern University star dropped 30 points on 26 attacks, three blocks, and one ace to help Navy end the round-robin semis with a victory.
“Lumabas ang laro namin lalo na sa dulo, malakas ang loob, parang wala nang mawawala. Kung outside ‘yan, eh ‘di outside, bawi agad. Ganun lang. Agad na mag-recover. ‘Yun ang pinagtuunan namin, ang pagtitiwala na makakagawa ng maganda ang bawat isa sa amin,” said Dolor.
Sealions head coach George Pascua said that the significant win over the D’Navigators will boost the team heading into the bronze series, where they will face the same squad in their bid to conclude the season-opening conference with a podium finish.
“Sinabi ko sa kanila, wala nang mawawala basta lumaban lang. Manalo o matalo, ang mahalaga ay nandoon ang positibong hangarin na kayang-kaya nilang talunin ang kalaban kahit nasa disadvantage na sa dalawang set,” said Pascua.
“Nakamit na namin ang tagumpay. Sana tuluy-tuloy na ito hanggang sa makamit natin ang bronze. Kahit na lang ang bronze.”
