PVL: Kianna Dy says familiarity a big factor in choosing PLDT

Kianna Dy.–Photo from PLDT High Speed Hitters

MANILA, Philippines — Growth and her familiarity with former La Salle teammates were the reasons why Kianna Dy chose to be a PLDT High Speed Hitter ahead of the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference, which opens on February 20.

After F2 Logistics decided to disband last December, Dy admitted that joining another team was a scary transition but also “a sign to grow and learn more from a different system.”

“I’ve been with my past team for like 10 years already. For me, it was a scary transition but it’s not. My teammates and my coaches made it easy,” Dy told reporters on Sunday while watching the Chery Tiggo-Cignal game with her PLDT teammates in the PNVF Champions League at Rizal Memorial Coliseum. 

“All my teammates are very easy to get along with and the coaching staff is very patient with the transition. Pretty good. I expected that it would take time for us to get along but it’s been easy.”

“It’s very nice to know na marami pa kaming hindi alam about the sport,” she added.

Dy shared another reason she chose PLDT as her new team was because of her longtime F2 Logistics teammates, Majoy Baron and Kim Fajardo, who decided to join the High Speed Hitters, as well as the reunion of the La Salle Lady Spikers’ UAAP Season 78 championship core with Mika Reyes. 

“Siguro ‘yun ‘yung isang deciding factor ko rin moving to PLDT kasi I found out na kinukuha rin nila si Majoy and KAF. Parang it wasn’t as hard because kasama ko rin sila and naging teammate ko rin si ate Ye (Reyes) and then si Erika (Santos) rin tapos naging teammate ko rin si ate Rhea (Dimaculangan). I think that’s one of the reasons why it became easy also,” said the Season 78 UAAP Finals MVP.”

(I found out that they got Majoy and KAF so that was also one of my deciding factors in moving to PLDT. I felt it won’t be that hard to join PLDT because we’ve played together before and so are Ye (Reyes), Erika (Santos) and Rhea (Dimaculangan) who are my former teammates as well.)

“Nakakatuwa kasi ‘yun nga, Season 78 was really a memorable season for me. First championship ko ‘yun nu’ng college. It’s nice to reunite with my old teammate, ate Ye,” she added.

(It’s fun because Season 78 was really a memorable season for me. That’s my first championship in college. It’s nice to reunite with my old teammate, ate Ye.)

Besides teaming up with her former ex-La Salle stalwarts, Dy can’t wait to team up with Filipino-Canadian hitter Savannah Davison, who has been inspiring her in practice.

“Every time I see her in training, parang napapa-wow ka na lang na ‘shocks, parang gusto kong ganyan kalakas pumalo’ so nakaka-motivate being teammates with her,” she said.

(I’m just in awe every time I see her (Davison) in training. It’s like I also want to hit as hard as her so it gives me more motivation being teammates with her.)

The 28-year-old spiker injured her right knee in the semifinal round of the Invitational Conference last year and missed the final tournament of F2 Logistics in the All-Filipino Conference. Months after her injury and playing for a new team, Dy can’t say how physically ready she is for the upcoming 2024 season but she is taking it one step at a time and not forcing her way to full recovery.

“I can’t really say [how ready I am physically]  but I’m getting there,” Dy said. “Actually, we’re taking it day by day. We’re not rushing it because it’s a knee injury. We’re just taking it slowly. We’re not trying to force things.”

Dy may be getting a fresh start with PLDT but she is still there to support her F2 Logistics teammates, who already found their new teams after the disbandment, as she watched Dawn Macandili-Catindig’s Cignal debut against Aby Maraño and Ara Galang of Chery Tiggo in the Champions League.

“Nakaka-proud and nakaka-miss because it’s my first time seeing them in different teams. Ang weird, parang papalo si ate Ara, idi-dig ni Dawn. Pero nakakatuwa. I like watching them play,” Dy said.

(It makes me proud and at the same time, makes me feel nostalgic seeing them play for different teams for the first time. It’s weird seeing ate Ara spike and see Dawn dig on the other end. But it’s fun. I like watching them play.)