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Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship: Jaja stars as Power Pinays trounce India in opener

National University behemoth Jaja Santiago erupted for twenty points as the PLDT TVolution-Philippines Power Pinays opened their campaign in pulsating fashion as they walloped KSEB-India in straight sets, 25-17, 26-24, 25-16 in Day #1 of competition in the 17th Princess Cup-Chang Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship in Nakhom Pathom, Thailand.

The 18-year-old reigning UAAP Rookie of the Year instantly became the favorite target of Power Pinays Japanese setter Misao Tanyama as she punctured the hapless Indian defenses time and time again while second reinforcement and Cuban legend Regla Bell-Mackenzie also made her presence felt, adding fourteen markers as the Filipinas made an early and definitive statement in Group B action.

So effective and unmatched was Santiago against the smaller opponents that she only needed 22 attempts to convert on sixteen spike scores while she also fended off the Indian attackers; turning back three shots for scores and even nailing a service ace in a complete tour de force.

The victory was not without cost however; as the squad lost a key component early in the first set when starting utility spiker Jovelyn Gonzaga suffered an inverted right ankle sprain while trying to defend the net.

Pumasok po yung paa ng kalaban… kakalungkot lang,” the 21-year-old Guimaras native explained in a Direct Message conversation on Twitter. “Masakit po pero ice compress at gamot kaya po. Sanay na ako ma-sprain parati, hindi na ako natuto.

But the reigning Shakey’s V-League Open Conference MVP was confident of her chances to play in the next match.

“Yes,” she said. “Puso ang labanan.

That next match is today (April 18th) as the upstarts face the defending champions Bohai Bank Tianjin-China. Match time is set for 2:00PM (3:00PM, Philippine time).

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Veteran international campaigner Suzanne Roces stepped up to fill the position in lieu of the young lefty and brought her seasoned skills to the forefront as she was a major impact at the net.

Skipper Rachel Anne Daquis—as expected—dislodged former captain Angge Tabaquero from the starting line-up and lit up the opposition for nine points. But Head Coach Sammy Acaylar acknowledged the impending traffic jam at the open-spiker position even before heading to Thailand.

“I will try different combinations sa open,” he said during their send off party a few weeks back. “Sometimes we’ll use Rachel but there will also be times we’ll go with Angge. It’s a good problem to have.”

That goes without saying as the Power Pinays have arguably two of the top five outside hitters in the country today.

While the triumph against the Indian squad was morale boosting, going up against the defending titlists next is a daunting task, but one they will look to gain a lot from.

“Win or lose, beating China isn’t the apparent goal,” a volleyball analyst noted. “It’s how much they can make China work and how much they can pick up from the experience of going up against a world class team. This is not the same Power Pinays team from last year. This is a much improved version of that and on that merit alone, they could give the Chinese a stiff challenge.”

Gonzaga’s health will be of prime concern for the contingent.

She claims she can play (all true athletes say injuries can be played through), but will the coaching staff give her a day off to recover further? Roces may once again see extended minutes on the court either way. We may even see Acaylar throw in a gambit and put Bell-Mackenzie at the opposite hitter spot and field in both Daquis and Tabaquero at the same time. That’s the beauty of this roster. It can have many interchangeable parts.

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Meanwhile, the Power Pinays have also mixed up their jersey numbers. Here’s the final:

#3 Misao Tanyama (JPN) – S

#5 Mary Jean Balse – M

#8 Regla Maritza Bell-Mackenzie (CUB) – O

#9 Jovelyn Gonzaga – U

#11 Arriane Mei Argarin – S

#12 Lizlee Ann Gata-Pantone – L

#13 Rachel Anne Daquis – O

#14 Ma. Angeli Tabaaquero – O

#15 Honey Royse Tubino – M

#16 Suzanne Roces – U

#18 Angelique Dionela – L

#19 Alyja Daphne Santiago – M

Better get used to them. I’ll get to the bottom of why some so drastically changed the jersey number we were so accustomed to seeing them wear.

There have been reports that a few netizens on social media have discovered links to the official broadcaster’s live streaming sites and some aficionados have alleged that they were actually able to witness the subsequent matches of opening day (the television coverage begins on the second game—where the Power Pinays are scheduled against the Chinese today and where it was not yet on during the India tiff).

If this is true, then we may be able to watch what is touted to be history in the making as this present crop of talent is paving the way for a solid and sustaining national team program under the new Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF). Let’s admit it: it’s sort of a dream team with just a few components missing here and there.

They’re getting there. Things are starting to look clearer.

Join me in wishing our intrepid Filipinas the best.

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My question still stands: who is with me in believing that the Power Pinays can achieve more than three wins in the prelims?

BOXSCORES:

PLDT Home Tvolution-Philippines (1-0) def. KSEB-India (0-1)—25-17, 26-24, 25-16

PHI—Santiago 20, Bell-Mackenzie 14, Daquis 9, Tanayama 4, Balse 3, Gonzaga 2, Roces 2, Tubino 1, Gata-Pantone (L) 0, Dionela (L) 0, Tabaquero 0.

IND—Parakku 9, Raju 9, Ela 6, Balakrishnan 4, Sreesalam 4, Puthiya 4, Nittoor 2, Fallippattuthottathil (L) 0, Dona 0, Edavalath 0.

Follow Noel Zarate on Twitter (@NoelZarate) and email sportztackle@yahoo.com