Jovielyn Prado. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Jovielyn Prado had a bittersweet Game 2 to remember.
Though Arellano is now a win away from the NCAA Season 92 women’s volleyball title, Prado struggled for much of the game on Friday at San Juan Arena.
Prado still scored 13 points but only went 10-of-42 on her spiking attempts.
READ: Lady Chiefs beat Lady Stags anew, close in on NCAA title
But missing in the stat sheet was how the 2nd Best Outside Spiker was visibly rattled by the Finals atmosphere.
“She had so many errors, errors on her attacks, errors on her service,” said Arellano head coach Obet Javier. “We can see that she was really rattled.”
Prado, though, took her coaches’ words not as criticisms but as positive reinforcement and she vowed to put on a better display come Game 3 on Tuesday as they attempt to close out San Sebastian.
“I promise I will bounce back,” said Prado. “I’m just really thankful because my teammates played really well.”
“And coach told me I still have a chance to play a better game.”
Prado said the pressure is on the Lady Stags coming into Game 3 as their thrice-to-beat advantage has been pushed to the limit.
San Sebastian, by virtue of its 9-0 eliminations record, was given an automatic bye to the Finals but Lady Chiefs managed to take the two wins putting them in a prime spot to clinch the title in Game 3.
“We’re confident because we’re not the ones who are down in this series, they’re the ones who are chasing us and the pressure’s on them now,” said Prado. “We just have to work because we only need one win and we’ll be the champions.”