‘Motivated’ Dawn Macandili-Catindig makes instant impact at Cignal

Cignal HD Spikers.–PNVF PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Dawn Macandili-Catindig was thrilled to face her former F2 Logistics teammates Aby Maraño and Ara Galang as her new squad Cignal got the better of Chery Tiggo to start the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League.

Catindig made an impressive debut as an HD Spiker as she displayed her steady floor defense in the HD Spikers’ 28-26, 25-19, 27-25 win on Sunday evening at Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

“She (Catindig) impacts the team in a big way. She gives her teammates security knowing that she will be there to save the ball. It’s really nice to have a player like Dawn, who plays simple yet very effective,” Cignal coach Shaq Delos Santos said in Filipino.

Though it’s unusual for her to see Galang and Maraño on the other side of the net, the decorated libero embraced the challenge as part of the new chapter in her career.

“I’m very motivated heading into this game because they’re my former teammates and we used to push each other to become better players,” said Catindig in Filipino.

Cignal libero Dawn Macandili-Catindig.–PNVF PHOTO

Besides facing Maraño and Galang, other former F2 Logistics players Kianna Dy, Majoy Baron, and Kim Fajardo, who are now with PLDT, attended the game to watch their ex-teammates.

Although she misses her former teammates, the former Philippine women’s volleyball team libero said they have to move forward as she looks to help Cignal get over the hump in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) starting on February 20.

Catindig was pleased with her first game with the HD Spikers but she is eager to improve more as they battle the Petro Gazz Angels, who swept the Army earlier, on Monday at 6 p.m.

“I’m very happy to get this victory with the team. We really worked together to get this win,” she said. “But we still need to work more on our aggressiveness with our floor defense.”

Catindig, who was part of F2 Logistics’ maiden PNVF title run, seeks to win another with the HD Spikers this time. 

“Our goal, of course, is to become champions and I can see that this team is really capable of winning the championship,” she said.