The Defenders have plenty of room to improve in their first PVL conference.
The Gerflor Defenders' first taste of PVL action was against the defending Invitational Conference champion, the Creamline Cool Smashers.
While it wasn’t the debut game they had hoped for, the Defenders are nonetheless taking positives from that loss and are hopeful to use them moving forward in this midseason tourney and beyond.
And with the PVL going on a two-week break to give way to the Volleyball Nations League, the Defenders are expecting to do a lot better in their remaining games.
“With these two weeks na waiting namin, training before the next game, I guess this is enough time for us na para ma-figure out din nila coach kung ano yung pinaka-best na form namin,” outside hitter Jannine Navarro told Playitright TV.
“I guess there's something more pa talaga sa lahat ng players na mabibigay namin for the team, she added.
Gerflor team manager Jordan Tolentino, meanwhile, shared some positive comments the Defenders received after their first PVL match.
“Most of the comments coming in after our first game are very encouraging, [with people] telling us that it's just natural to have such a game with a very good team,” said Tolentino. “We are just excited to look forward in the coming games.”
Not much is expected yet from the Defenders, but if there’s one thing for certain, it’s that the expansion team's players are definitely motivated to show off their skills and prove that they deserve to be in the PVL.
“One of the things that we were thinking is that ang kailangan sa pipiliin natin siguro would be those players who are self-motivated," said Tolentino about the team's recruitment philosophy. “Everyone has their own hugot or everybody has their own special reason for being there.”
That self-motivation may very well be one of the keys that will unlock the Defenders' potential in the games ahead.
Gerflor will return to action on July 13 versus the retooled Chery Tiggo Crossovers.
(MDB)