Kat Tolentino continues to adjust with her auditory condition as she looks to help the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
It wasn’t the start to the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference that Choco Mucho had hoped for.
But despite the four-set loss to Petro Gazz, the Flying Titans found something positive to take away from the game—the returns of Kat Tolentino and Des Cheng.
Tolentino, specifically, played big minutes for Choco Mucho, producing 12 points on 10 attacks and two blocks.
The 29-year-old opposite hitter, however, knows she can contribute way more for the Flying Titans, knowing that it will be a long season ahead.
“I think that's just the beginning right now. It's not enough for the team. I know that I have to contribute both offensively and defensively and I think I still have so much more to offer for this season,” Tolentino told reporters after the match.
“It's a first game so we can't lose hope or feel like this is how it'll be for the conference. I mean it's good to have it at the beginning so that we can learn from it and we can fix what we need to fix,” she added.
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Tolentino sat out most of last season’s All-Filipino Conference and played sparingly during the Reinforced Conference due to an auditory condition in her left ear.
Even during the match against the Angels, Tolentino admitted having to adjust her surroundings.
“It's different because I'm deaf in my left ear so all the sounds are coming from my right side so it's pretty different,” said Tolentino.
“I just have to adjust and understand that this is the condition I have so I have to get used to it. And so far it's been okay, it's just really loud in my right side. But other than that, my team has been really supportive and I'm thankful for that,” she added.
With the help of her teammates and coaches, Tolentino said that her conditioning has been improving and that she is getting more confident as she steps onto the court for Choco Mucho.
“It's just different of course in a game, situation with the crowd, with the environment and maybe that's what I have to adjust to and get used to because I haven't really played fully in a while like that like how I played earlier, so I'm being patient with myself also and I'm having to get the support also for my teammates which is good,” the talented spiker said.
[ALSO READ: Kat Tolentino’s heart and loyalty stand firmly with Choco Mucho | Off the Record]
Tolentino and the rest of the Flying Titans will look to get back on track on Thursday, Nov. 14 as they take on the Galeries Tower Highrisers at the FilOil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.