Give-it-all Soltones urges Lady Stags to step up

San Sebastian Lady Stags led by Gretchel Soltones. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

San Sebastian skipper Gretchel Soltones has called on his teammates to step up after the Lady Stags were nearly swept by St. Benilde in the NCAA Season 91 women’s volleyball Finals.

The Lady Stags, who came out of the elimination round unscathed thus the thrice-to-beat-edge, succumbed to back-to-back losses in the Finals before forcing a fourth and final game.

The NCAA MVP said she and her teammates had a talk, reminding them that they are not playing the same way they did in their unbeaten run to the finals.

“Nagkaroon kasi kami ng talk kung saan namin sinabi mga gusto naming sabihin kasi ampangit na ng direksiyon ng team,” Soltones said after finishing with 31 points in game 3. “Kailangan talaga nila mag step up kung gusto nila manalo kasi ako patay na kung patay.”

Head coach Roger Gorayeb also challenged the Stags to stop being just a one-girl team.

The Lady Stags have a chance to retain the crown and foil the Lady Blazers’ bid for a historic first-ever crown on Thursday in game 4.

Soltones added she may not the best player in the game, but she gives a hundred percent every time she’s on the floor.

“Hindi naman ako magaling maglaro like Ate Alyssa [Valdez] idol ko yun,” Soltones said. “Sinabihan ko sila ‘bakit hindi kayo mag step up para sa team, kasi hirap na rin ako.’”

Soltones urged her teammates to also give back the trust given to them by Gorayeb.

“Sabi ko na lang ‘dapat malagay din pangalan niyo sa newspapers, hindi lang ako. Napagdaanan ko na rin yan na bata pa at parang takot at kinakabahan,’” Soltones said. “’Yung scholarship na binibigay ng Baste suklian natin, lalo na si coach Roger.’”