PVL: Ex-F2 stars helps boost talent depth of PLDT

PLDT will now have a lot of attacking talent with Savannah Davison (No. 6) and Jules Samonte (No. 4) welcoming Kim Dy (No. 13) into the fold. —PVL IMAGES

PLDT coach Rald Ricafort has a problem. And it’s one that he likes.

The arrival of three vital cogs to backstop the High Speed Hitters in the new season of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) has not only given him the opportunity to fill in for his injured stars, it has also given the young coach a glut of talent at his disposal.

In the setter’s position alone, Ricafort will have veteran Rhea Dimaculangan and new acquisition Kim Fajardo sharing floor time.

“In the case of Rhea, she became off in our last two games due to an injury and it’s a good problem to have her with Fajardo with us. We just need to maintain Kim’s health because she was also on-off in F2 due to injuries,” Ricafort told the Inquirer over the phone on Tuesday.

Aside from Fajardo, hitter Kim Kianna Dy and middle blocker Majoy Baron are also coming in to provide coach Ricafort exactly what he needs to remain contenders in the coming All-Filipino Conference.

Perfect fit

Fajardo, Dy and Baron were picked up from the disbanded F2 Logistics club.

“Swak na swak naman (the key additions are a perfect fit) … and knowing that they came from F2, you know that they will fight,” Ricafort said.

Injuries struck PLDT at the end of the last All-Filipino Conference, with Erika Santos and Dimaculangan among those who were hit. Star middle blocker Mika Reyes, on the other hand, continues to rehabilitate a recurring shoulder injury.

Dy’s addition provides the High Speed Hitters with a lot of options in offense with Filipino-Canadian star Savannah Davison and Jules Samonte still around to compete for minutes.

“I lost some of my players, the ones who will come in fits in perfectly … Kianna’s arrival is perfect, although Jules is still there but our right side will be much stronger,” Ricafort added.

Missed semis

“For Majoy, Mika will be out for sometime so definitely, if not better, she (Baron) will perfectly take the place of Mika,” he added as PLDT ramps up its training ahead of the PVL upcoming season.

The High Speed Hitters narrowly missed the semifinals in the last conference with a 7-4 win-loss standing and the former F2 cogs, who took their talents to PLDT after the Cargo Movers decided to leave the pro league last month, will be striving to reach a much better finish.

“With Sav and the [former] F2 players, their help will not be 100 percent technical. I think it’s their experience with winning, being a champion so you gave Sav more competitive teammates,” he said.

“[T]he additions that will join [Davison] are experienced dealing with tough situations.”