PVL: New era dawns on Cignal with Dawn Macandili-Catindig’s arrival

Vanie Gandler (No. 5) and the rest of the HD Spikers are more confident defensively with the arrival of Dawn Macandili-Catindig. —PNVF PHOTO

Dawn Macandili-Catindig needed little adjustments to settle down into her new role at Cignal, and the diminutive libero has, in turn, become a steady defensive presence for the HD Spikers.

“She (Macandili-Catindig) has such a huge impact. Her teammates have that feeling of knowing that they’re safe,” coach Shaq delos Santos told reporters in Filipino after Cignal maintained its dominance over Chery Tiggo in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League recently.

The HD Spikers clinched the bronze medal in the last Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference by sweeping their series versus the Crossovers last year.

READ: Dawn Macandili-Catindig boosts Cignal defense, title hopes

“[The HD Spikers] know that even if the ball goes to the back or to the side, they know that someone will save (possession) for them,” Delos Santos went on. “And Dawn plays with such simplicity but she is so effective.”

The HD Spikers were battling Army at presstime, even as Chery Tiggo notched a first win after a 29-27, 27-29, 25-18, 25-23 decision of hard-fighting College of St. Benilde on Tuesday to rise to 1-1 at Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Cignal took a 16-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-20 win over Petro Gazz on Monday as the HD Spikers remained undefeated in two games while dealing the Angels a first loss in the Brooke van Sickle era.

Breaking through

Macandili-Catindig took her act to Cignal following the disbandment of F2 Logistics after the last PVL conference, and despite the prized libero being with her new squad for just a little over the month, she is getting acclimated well.

“For me, I only did a few adjustments because Cignal has such a good system and I feel very at home when I joined them,” Macandili-Catindig said.

With Macandili-Catindig leading Cignal’s back row defense, Cignal will enter the new season with hopes of breaking through after a series of third place finishes.

READ: PVL: Dawn Macandili-Catindig joins Cignal HD Spikers

And she is proving her worth, helping Cignal to a quick 2-0 start in the Champions League after downing a fellow PVL team in Petro Gazz on Monday.But the 27-year-old libero will not only be providing her defense alone to her new team.

“I think one thing that people don’t know is how vocal of a leader she (Catindig) is (on the floor), which is super helpful to our team,” Cignal’s rising star Vanie Gandler said of her new teammate. “I am just so shocked and starstruck with [her].”

“She really teaches me, she corrects us and she also asks us for help so it’s really nice ‘cause we all work as one,” the former Ateneo standout added. INQ