Capital1 Spikers’ Iris Tolenada. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Just close to six months after being created, Capital1 has chalked up a franchise-defining win in the PVL.
After winning just one of its first 11 games in its maiden pro tournament, Capital1 has split its first two outings in the Reinforced Conference, with the win coming at the expense of two-time defending champion Petro Gazz—and in straight sets at that.
The Solar Spikers lost in four sets to formidable Akari before that, and the competitiveness that they are showing this early is being attributed to the brilliant signings coaching staff did during the offseason, especially the one that brought setter Iris Tolenada over.
“I was brought in because of my experience over the years, and we all knew that it was going to be a challenge because I am a lot older than some of the girls,” Tolenada told the Inquirer. “So part of my responsibility is to help them learn and to help [them] mesh well together.”
A stunning 26-24, 25-20, 25-18 upset of the Angels has made heads turn this early, as Tolenada is standing at the forefront of the Capital1 offense.
Having coaching experience herself, Tolenada is a great help in connecting coaches, led by Roger Gorayeb, to the players on the floor and making sure that everyone sticks to their assignment.
“Coach Roger isn’t the one to really push everyone so much, but he definitely knows that I am gonna do that and he allows me to be myself with the team,” Tolenada said.
Tolenada, together with backup setter May Macatuno, has been slowly but surely activating not only Russian import Marina Tushova but every spiker that they have despite the short amount of time being together—and they are not planning to stop anytime soon.
“We go to practice everyday just hungry for getting better,” she said. “I ask for [Macatuno’s] advice, she helps me out. I kinda brainstorm with her on what type of offense we wanna have for each game.
“Even in practice we’re very competitive with each other, which is great because if I am for whatever reason unable to do my job at the moment, I know that she can step in and take over right away,” Tolenada added.
Meanwhile, the league has moved to Aug. 8 at PhilSports Arena at the end of the elimination round the postponed Pool A matches between Farm Fresh (0-2) and PLDT (2-0), Creamline and Nxled (both 1-1) and Galeries Tower (0-2) and Chery Tiggo (2-0) due to inclement brought by supertyphoon “Carina” (international name: Gaemi) and the southwest monsoon.