PVL: Iris Tolenada grateful for trust from coach Roger, teammates

Capital1 Spikers’ Iris Tolenada in the PVL Reinforced Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Iris Tolenada may be a newcomer to Capital1 but she has been providing steady leadership to the young Solar Spikers in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference.

Tolenada dished out 15 excellent sets as Marina Tushova’s 24-point outing led Capital1 to its biggest franchise win yet, stunning Petro Gazz, 26-24, 25-20, 25-18, for a 1-1 start in Pool B  on Tuesday evening at Philsports Arena.

The Filipino-American setter, armed with her experience in the Korean V-League with the GS Caltex Seoul KIXX, hardly missed a beat playing in the PVL despite missing the All-Filipino Conference after F2 Logistics’ disbandment last December.

Tolenada credited her smooth transition with her new team to coach Roger Gorayeb’s trust and her teammates’ cooperation.

SCHEDULE: 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference

“Coming into this I was very unsure what’s gonna happen, honestly. But there was a lot of belief behind me and when just one person believes in you, you start to believe in yourself and everyone believes around you and that’s how we got to this point,” said Tolenada.

“It’s been amazing, honestly. It starts from management to coaches and teammates. Every single day, coach Roger, especially, has always said be free and be who you are. This is the option I’m gonna suggest if I see something but to have that green light as a setter and as the offensive maker, I feel so free and I have people around me who want to kill the ball for me. That’s all I need.”

The Solar Spikers, who have a new set of starters with Tushova, Tolenada, rookie Leila Cruz and Roma Mae Doromal, as well as Julia Ipac, earned their second franchise win and gained a share of third place in Pool B with Petro Gazz behind leaders Cignal and Akari.

“It feels amazing because we come into practice every day talking about being a family and being good teammates to each other and that’s exactly what we did. Everybody stayed on their assignment and that’s blocking, defense, and the offensive strategy that coaches were telling us about. It’s just more successful for us when we stick to the plan,” Tolenada said.

Tolenada is grateful to Gorayeb for boosting the whole team’s confidence and for allowing her to apply her leadership style.

“It’s great having a coach who knows that you can do it but will also give you feedback when you need it that’s what makes a great coach and that’s how you build an example for the players,” the veteran playmaker said.

“For coach Roger, putting his trust in me, he won’t be so harsh on the players or like push them as much as I do. So that’s what I come in to do and I’m very grateful for my teammates for allowing me to push them to and beyond my limits as well as them pushing me as well.”

“If we have that dynamic on the court, everyone pushing each other, that’s what’s gonna elevate the gym talent and confidence,” she added.

Tolenada and the Solar Spikers try to pull off another upset on Saturday against the unbeaten Cignal HD Spikers.