The PSL-AFC Epilogue: Eight memorable stories (told in pictures as well) – Part 2 of 2
…And to continue, here we go…
5. Cebu exploded
I had an entire article dedicated to the PSL’s first sortie outside of Metro Manila and apparently the Queen City of the South shares the nation’s new passion.
Over six thousand rabid fans crammed into the University of San Carlos (USC) gymnasium to be part of history as a preliminary round twinbill featuring Systema vs. Cignal in the men’s division followed Petron vs. Air Asia (with the debuting Michele Gumabao—fresh out of her “eviction” from the Pinoy Big Brother house).
For about two hours prior to the games to about two after the games, the Cebuanos turned a simple sporting event into a Mardigras. The players made sure the fans got their money’s worth, not only by displaying their volleyball skills, but also making sure the necessary “selfies” and autographs were dished out and everyone returning to normal life just a little more blessed and with just a handful more memories to share.
6. Generika started 0-2, enter Tina Salak
When news came out that Tina Salak—arguably among the best setters in the women’s game—would be doubtful to suit up for Generika (the new team owners of defending titlists Army Lady Troopers), I put them among the bottom teams in my preseason power rankings. Sure Generika boasts of the deadly “gonzaquis” twosome of utility spiker Joevlyn Gonzaga and opener Rachel Anne Daquis. Mary Jean Balse is still among the elite quickers in the land and the acquisition of former Far Eastern University (FEU) libero Tin Agno addressed the questionable floor defense of the Lady Troopers. However, without that reliable playmaker, Generika would be hard pressed against the vastly improved opposition in the league.
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After their first two matches—against PLDT Home TVolution and Cagayan Valley—the Lady Troopers were obviously groping for form. Free agent hire Sarah Jane Gonzales—a reserve setter in college—was a stop gap move but did not pay dividends in terms of the win-loss column as they began the season winless for the first time in franchise history.
Salak, along with superstar siblings Michelle and Mayeth Carolino as well as former skipper Joanne Bunag were all undergoing training to be promoted in rank as soldiers. The latter three have already indicated that they would not suit up for this conference, but somehow Salak’s name made it to the roster. It was gamble that paid off on their third game—against Air Asia—as Salak took advantage of the play date being on a Sunday to make her 2014 debut.
Immediately the flow of the game changed drastically in favor of Generika.
Everything fell into place and Salak’s presence for the remainder of the schedule was a major factor in the Lady Troopers winning their next six matches—including the championship match against the new-look RC Cola Raiders.
She was eventually named tournament MVP and truly deserves the accolade. By definition, Salak’s absence showed how valuable her presence is on the court. She makes everyone better, she makes the team stronger. She may already be in her thirties, but she still plays with the youthful exuberance of a teenager and as she herself said once: “Age is just a number.”
7. Arriane Argarin and Mika Esperanza stretchered off the court—on successive game days
It’s always a sad sight to say athletes get injured. I’ve seen my fair share of injuries while broadcasting the games: Daquis’s first major sprain, Jac Alarca’s season-ending ankle twist and the ACL tears of Charo Soriano, Angge Tabaquero and most recently Aiko Urdas.
But I’ve never in seen someone lay motionless on floor after a collision with a teammate—as in motionless.
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When Cignal HD setter Arriane Argarin bumped hips with teammate Jane Diaz in diving for a ball, I even thought the latter took the brunt of the hit. However, it was Argarin who stopped moving suddenly. Referee Bob Malenab called a halt to the action as medics rushed to her side. It seemed like more than ten minutes before they had the courage—and equipment—to move her and take her to the nearest hospital.
Cignal skipper Michelle Datuin later confided to me that Argarin—the league’s first best setter awardee—was already playing with a diagnosed slipped disc and was undergoing therapy to keep her playing. In short, she was ticking time bomb.
The unfortunate thing about the accident was that the Lady HD Spikers were already losing and the game was almost over. Argarin was placed in a back isolator and for the first time in my recent memory, the stretcher was used to cart her away. She spent about a week in the hospital and is now in therapy to realign the discs. Luckily for her, surgery has not been recommended—at this time.
A couple of days later, Air Asia setter Mika Esperanza crashed to the ground knee first and also required the stretcher to be brought out to transport her off the court. It was eventually diagnosed that the former DLSU orchestrator blew one of the tendons in her knee and has since had surgery to repair the damage.
The big cost was that the Flying Spikers lost her for the playoffs and dropped their final two matches of the postseason to finish outside of the podium. While everyone acknowledges that Air Asia did very well as a rookie squad in the league, many still wonder if the presence of Esperanza (as well as superstar libero Melissa Gohing who strained her back in the quarterfinals and did not see action in the next two encounters) might have changed the Flying Spikers fate.
8 Attendance and Success
The PSL has been searching for a permanent home since its inception. It began at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City with invasions in the San Juan Arena and the MOA Arena during the inaugural PSL Invitational. The Ynares Sports Complex in Pasig was the venue for the PSL GP.
When the league mulled a move to the Cuneta Astrodome, there many apprehensions as that portion of the metropolis was untested in terms of volleyball devotion. The PSL quickly learned that volleyball devotion is everywhere.
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In all, 90,589 people attended the games at Cuneta (and Cebu) for the entire AFC. That’s allegedly more than double the attendance from the two conferences last year combined. Whether or not it’s the same people coming over and over again to games, we don’t know. But the continual rise of the sport is evident by these numbers. We have even begun to calculate how many more watched on Solar Sports and the online replays.
The PSL has struck a nerve in the consciousness of the volleyball fan. The PSL has proven its relevance and is just begin to fathom the difference it is making in the sport.
Hopefully, the PSL trudges on despite its ongoing birth pains (I guess it’s now learning to walk by taking big leaps forward). I wonder what the league has in store for the upcoming PSL GP. If we’ve taken notes of the escalation so far, it’s going to have to top this last one. Bet the house.
FINAL BOXSCORES:
(W-Bronze Medal Match) PLDT Home TVolution def. Air Asia – 25-17, 18-25, 25-18, 25-23
PLDT—Roces 16, C. Soriano 14, Latigay 12, Banaticla 9, R. de Leon 7, Devanadera 3, Benting 1, Gata-Pantone (L) 0, Ferrer 0, Moralde 0.
Air Asia—Mercado 15, Maraño 10, Angustia 8, C. Cruz 7, Gumabao 7, Laborte 4, Hingpit 3, Tiu 2, Macatuno 1, Sison (L) 0.
(M-Gold Medal Match) PLDT Home TVolution-Air Force def. Cignal HD – 25-21, 25-21, 25-21
PLDT/AF—Abdilla 18, Malabanan 10, Galang 9, Alinsunurin 8, Labrador 6, Lopez 1, Laja 1, Mosuela (L) 0, Avila (L) 0, Fernandez 0, Jeruz 0, Torres 0.
Cignal—de la Cruz 10, Castel 9, Sanchez 6, Ablan 5, Mojica 3, Abria 3, Lansangan 3, Villoson 2, Diezmo 1, Montero (L) 1, Clamor 0, Daquer 0.
(W-Gold Medal Match) Generika-Army def. RC Cola-Air Force – 25-22, 25-19, 25-16
Generika—Balse 16, Bautista 9, Daquis 9, Gonzaga 8, Sabas 5, Salak 3, Agno (L) 1, J. de Leon 0.
RC Cola—Cases 12, Caballejo 11, Ortiz 7, Yongco 5, Antipuesto 3, Dimaculangan 2, Gustilo (L) 0, Tapic 0, Semana 0, Manzano 0.
Follow Noel Zarate on Twitter (@NoelZarate) and email sportztackle@yahoo.com
