Army’s Gonzaga says pressure is on top seed Foton in semis

RC Cola Army Lady Troopers. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

If there’s ever a volleyball team that has a championship tradition, it has to be the Philippine Army.

The Lady Troopers, now playing as RC Cola Army, are four-time champions in the Philippine Superliga and won the league’s first three.

And even with a lackluster 4-6 record in the Grand Prix, the Lady Troopers will look into their storied history come their semifinals matchup against top-seeded Foton Tornadoes.

“Nandyan pa ring yung Army of before, ilalabas namin ang inner side na palaban sa kahit ano pa mang mangyari na attitude (This is still the Army of yesteryears, we will channel that inner attitude that we will fight no matter what happens),” said Jovelyn Gonzaga. 

“Nasa record na kasi namin na nasa finals lagi, siguro ganun yung drive na di maaari mawala dun and each and every one of us nandoon yung ganung pride (It’s been in our record that we are always in the finals and I think the drive to never let go of that record, and the each and every one of us has that pride).”

Gonzaga added they are not intimidated with the Tornadoes, who finished with a league-best 9-1 record, come their semifinals matchup.

“Ang pressure nasa Foton kasi sila ang nasa taas and kami behind (The pressure’s on Foton since they’re at the top and we’re at the bottom),” said Gonzaga. 

“Last na pagharap namin ang ganda ng pinakita namin, and kunpleto din naman sila that time and siguro way din yun na hindi mababa ang tingin namin sa sarili namin and ang taas nila (The last time we faced, we had a decent showing against them and they were a complete team that time, and I think that would help us not to think lowly of ourselves and look at them all mighty against us).”

RC Cola Army’s last outing against Foton was on Nov. 19 where the Tornadoes managed to elude the Lady Troopers in five sets, 25-20, 20-25, 29-27, 21-25, 15-7.