Jolina Dela Cruz and Lorene Toring finally suit up for the Farm Fresh Foxies following their respective ACL injuries.
The Farm Fresh Foxies have just received a major boost in their 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference campaign with the much-anticipated debuts of outside spiker Jolina dela Cruz and former Adamson middle blocker Lorene Toring against the Nxled Chameleons to open the new year.
Both stars are coming off their respective anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, which kept them sidelined since joining the Foxies early last year. Dela Cruz suffered her right ACL injury during the 2nd PVL All-Filipino Conference in 2023 with the now-defunct F2 Logistics Cargo Movers, while Toring missed UAAP Season 86 for Adamson following her own ACL injury in February last year.
Full-circle moment
Jolina Dela Cruz barely missed a beat in her comeback, scoring a game-high 20 points built on 18 attacks and two aces as part of the starting six in the Foxies’ 25-22, 26-24, 25-21 win at the Philsports Arena on Saturday.
It’s even more impressive given that Dela Cruz was anxious heading into the game, having suffered the ACL injury at Philsports last November 2023 against the PLDT High Speed Hitters.
“Pagpasok kanina nagpe-pray lang ako kasi kahapon sabi ko sa kanila, doon ako na-injure sa Philsports. So kanina medyo nung dumi-depensa pa ako, inaano pa ako ni Coach Boc [head coach Benson Bocboc] kasi alam naman niya yung nangyari sa akin dito last year. Pero ayun nga, unti-unti na-overcome ko yung fear,” Dela Cruz said during the post-game press conference.
Despite these fears, Dela Cruz would heat up by the second set to become a steady source of scoring along with one-time Best Opposite Hitter Trisha Tubu on Saturday.
“Masaya, and nakakamiss talaga maradaman ulit ‘yung pressure, like ‘yun nga privilege siya. And thank you din kay Coach Boc na binigyan kami ni Lorene na makapaglaro ulit and masama sa starter,” said the former De La Salle Lady Spiker.
It’s also been a year since Jolina Dela Cruz underwent surgery on her injured knee, making this comeback all the more sweeter. Now that she’s back in action, it’s now a matter of being healthy and staying consistent in her comeback.
Being sidelined for quite some time, Dela Cruz also looks to apply the lessons she’s learned as a spectator in Farm Fresh’s previous games and practices.
“From the sidelines, nung nakaraan na nanonood lang kami, parang actually parang ano rin siya eh, naging opportunity din sa’min na nagiging observer kami sa labas. So nakikita namin, ‘ah ganito pala siguro dapat’, kung paano ito paluin, ganito siguro dapat’,” said Dela Cruz, who signed with Farm Fresh in January last year. “Parang opportunity din siya na parang makapag-aral pa kami ni Lorene and sana mas ma-master pa namin.”
Baby steps
Toring’s comeback also doubles as her professional debut, given that she was signed by Farm Fresh after suffering the ACL injury. The middle blocker finished with a modest three points, but was given the starting nod along with Dela Cruz against the Chameleons.
Along with her comeback, this also serves as a reunion between Toring and her former Adamson teammates who moved to the Foxies in 2023.
“Sobrang happy kasi matagal ko itong hinintay, kami ni Jolina. And gustong gusto ko na rin maglaro para sa Farm Fresh kasi andon ‘yung mga previous kong teammates like sina Louie [Romero], sila [Trisha] Tubu, Aprylle [Tagsip] and Rizza [Cruz],” said Toring.
Being sidelined for one year, Toring also vowed to be a more vocal teammate for the up-and-coming Foxies after observing their “nonchalant” demeanor in practice.
“Mostly sa Farm Fresh mga nonchalant sila eh, hindi sila nagsasalita. Ayun ‘yung way sa pagtulong ko sa team,” said Toring, who was expected to lead Adamson prior to her freak injury.
For his part, Foxies head coach Benson Bocboc is taking it easy as his team comes back from a one-month holiday break. Likewise, he’s also taking extra caution towards Dela Cruz and Toring given the nature of their ACL injuries.
“Sabi ko naman sa kanila pag hindi nila kaya, magsabi lang sila. Kaya binibigyan natin ng panahon para makapag-adjust sa kayong oras sa court. Iba talaga pag galing ka sa [injury] one year pa,” he said. “Mahirap makabalik, so alalayan natin siya kasi sabi ko naman sa kanila, ang target natin dapat after five years naglalaro pa sila, so dahan-dahan lang.”
Images courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League.