With Chery Tiggo, Rodriguez looks to crawl out of shell

FILE–Seth Rodriguez during her stint with Petro Gazz. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Looking to contend for a Premier Volleyball League title, Chery Tiggo strengthened its defense a few days after losing its foremost offensive weapon, acquiring middle blocker Seth Rodriguez and libero Bingle Landicho as the Crossovers prepare full steam for the All-Filipino Conference that starts on Feb. 4.

Playing behind stars at Petro Gazz, the 5-foot-10 Rodriguez will be coming into the Chery Tiggo camp looking to blossom into a star and make the Crossovers a better rounded team that can slug it out with the league heavyweights.

“Ever since, I always hear from coaches and other people saying I have potential. Personally, I don’t want to end with potential,” Rodriguez said in Filipino as she and Landicho make up the three big signings for Chery Tiggo, which also welcomed the seasoned Ponggay Gaston.

“I experienced a lot of ups and downs, being on top, falling short in my years at Petro Gazz,” Rodriguez said. “As an athlete, I want to explore, check my potential and maximize it with Chery Tiggo.”

Fifth team

This will be Rodriguez’s fifth team counting stints with defunct Pocari Sweat from 2017 to 2018 followed by a one-year stint with Marinerang Pilipina in the Philippine Super Liga before transferring to Petro Gazz, where she was part of the team’s Reinforced Conference title run.

“I want to come out of my shell and learn from this decision to transfer. Hopefully, I will discover the extent of my potential,” Rodriguez said. “I was inspired by Cza Carandang after she boomed as a middle blocker. I hope I can also reach that level under their program.”

With Dindin Santiago-Manabat leaving the squad to join Akari, Chery Tiggo is now left to give a lot of the scoring load on Reinforced Conference Most Valuable Player Mylene Paat.

Landicho, meanwhile, is a service specialist first before transitioning into a full-time libero with Akari the past conference.

Petro Gazz has now lost two of its standouts following star Myla Pablo’s transfer to powerhouse F2 Logistics.