Vanie Gandler (left) and Erika Santos are as formidable a 1-2 punch as other big-name tandems. —MARLO CUETO
Cignal’s breakthrough Finals run within the PVL All-Filipino Conference was forged through heartbreak, roster rebuilds and adversity that tested coach Shaq Delos Santos.
Since their last title series appearance within the 2024 Invitational Conference, where they ended as sorry footnotes to Creamline’s completion of the Grand Slam, the Super Spikers have undergone major changes after losing key veterans Rachel Anne Daquis, Jheck Dionela and Jovelyn Gonzaga.
It didn’t end there as their struggles continued with a Tenth-place finish within the previous All-Filipino, where they lost a KO game against Galeries Towers, as Cignal got depleted much more with Ria Meneses and Ces Molina opting to not renew their contracts.
“I’ve tried lots of ways to search out the fitting balance and make the fitting adjustments,” Delos Santos said in Filipino after a four-set win over the Cool Smashers on Tuesday night. “At the identical time, the players have also adjusted to me and the way they absorb the system we work on day-after-day.”
Coupled with those setbacks, the Super Spikers have risen from the ashes.
Stronger and more cohesive, Cignal’s return to the Finals might be memorable after that vengeful 25-13, 13-25, 25-16, 25-16 win over the Cool Smashers on the Mall of Asia Arena.
“Our preparation has really been an enormous factor. The championship has all the time been the goal and it’s about how you’re employed for it day-after-day and the way you carry yourself like a champion,” Delos Santos said.
“We haven’t won a championship yet, but now we have an idea of what it takes based on our experiences,” said the multititled coach of the defunct Petron crew.
Setter Gel Cayuna, now the leader of the Super Spikers, attributed their finals return to their coach, who never stopped working with the lineup he had until he developed it right into a legit title contender.
“Though we lost quite a bit and our core was broken up, coach Shaq was capable of rebuild the team,” said Cayuna in Filipino. “We’re all really thankful because we stuck with one another. We didn’t search for anyone else.
“What now we have now’s what we fought for and worked with to get here,” she added proudly. “I’m just really grateful to everyone.”
Star scorer Vanie Gandler credits every thing to a “selfless” team that also has On Tour MVP Erika Santos, veteran libero Dawn Catindig, Tin Tiamzon, Rose Doria-Aquino and Jackie Acuña.
“I just have a lot gratefulness for the team since the player I’m today is due to them,” said Gandler after dropping 24 points, 10 excellent digs and 10 excellent receptions in Cignal’s Finals-clinching win.
“The best way the team is performing is because we just want the perfect for one another. It’s really not for ourselves, it’s for one another,” she went on.