Abella on Pocari’s opening game loss: ‘They didn’t want to win’

Pocari Sweat head coach Rommel Abella. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Pocari Sweat head coach Rommel Abella did not sugarcoat his words when his Lady Warriors got blown out in its opening game in the Premier Volleyball League on Sunday.

The Lady Warriors are the de facto defending champions of the PVL since the league underwent major rebranding, but Abella never saw any fighting spirit from his group in a 25-9, 25-22, 25-21, loss to the Power Smashers.

“I saw that they wanted to play, but they didn’t want to win,” said Abella Sunday at Filoil Flying V Centre. “I told that if they want to win, they better start acting like it. Unfortunately I didn’t see it in them.”

Abella added his team seemed to have underestimated the young Power Smashers who were formed barely a month before the tournament opened. 

A team consisting of a core featuring Melissa Gohing, Myla Pablo, Desiree Dadang, and Elaine Kasilag lost to the Power Smasher’s collegiate standouts of Jovelyn Prado, Regine Arocha, and Dimdim Pacres. 

The Power Smashers, who are playing without corporate support unlike the other five teams, also had a glaring 42-29 advantage in spikes and a 7-2 edge in service aces. 

“I told them that we’re here not just to play but we’re also here to defend the championship,” said Abella. “Champions are defined by how they get back up after a loss, so we’ll see next game.”