It’s back to the drawing board for coach Roger Gorayeb and the Capital1 Solar Spikers as they exit the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
From their breakthrough run in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference, the Capital1 Solar Spikers found themselves struggling with an all-local crew throughout the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference.
The Solar Spikers on Thursday wrapped up their All-Filipino campaign after falling to the quarterfinals-bound ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles on the final day of the conference play-in rounds.
Despite this core’s potential, head coach Roger Gorayeb acknowledged the Solar Spikers’ continued lack of key pieces, which he attributed to the timing of Capital1’s entry to the PVL in February last year.
By the time they joined the league, top players were already in long-term contracts with rival teams according to Gorayeb, while draft regulations were being established to replace the direct hiring system.
“Kumbaga na-wrong timing lang ‘yung pag-form ng team kasi nandyan na ‘yung drafting, so hindi na kami ngayon makakuha ngayon ng player. Meron mga gusto maglaro samin kaso lang wala na eh, nakapirma na roon kaya nahihirapan kami,” Gorayeb lamented after their season-ending 22-25, 17-25, 25-18, 17-25 loss to the Thunderbelles.
“Pero tatyagain din kasi sobrang bata pa ng team, isang taon pa lang eh. So hopefully makakuha ng additional player,” he added, with Capital1 being one of four lottery teams for the 2025 PVL Rookie Draft.
On the other hand, Capital1 does have the rookie tandem of Leila Cruz and Roma Mae Doromal, who have just completed their second PVL conference. Cruz has shown signs of being a solid scoring option when healthy, while Doromal continues to shine as one of the Solar Spikers’ floor defenders.
Gorayeb, though, knows that there’s a long way to go with the two, given that Cruz is coming off an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, and Doromal is still adjusting to his system.
“Siyempre iba naman din yung sistema ko, doon siya na medyo nahihirapan mag-adjust, maintindihan kaagad yung pinagagawa ko. Eh barely six months pa lang nga sila, so understandable naman, pero in the long run makukuha din nila yung gusto kong mangyari,” the multi-titled mentor said.
‘Learn from that loss’
Apart from their personnel shortage, Gorayeb also pointed out Capital1’s overreliance on Marina Tushova, the high-scoring import who spearheaded their inspiring 2024 Reinforced Conference run.
As Gorayeb observed, his local players had gotten complacent with having a go-to scorer, and were unable to adjust accordingly as an all-Filipino team.
“Ang mali kasi is nasanay ‘yung mga player na nandun si Marina, ‘yun ‘yung go-to guy namin noon eh. Eh ngayon Pinoy na, wala nang liligtas sa kanila. So kailangan ‘yung karakter mo sa paglalaro, kailangan maiba,” Gorayeb urged.
But despite the Solar Spikers’ points for improvement, Gorayeb knows that the All-Filipino Conference will bring about valuable lessons they can apply moving forward.
“Sabi nga eh, sabi ko nga sa kanila, hindi kayo matututo pag puro kayo panalo. Maganda yung natatalo kayo, but you have to learn from that loss o kaya from your mistakes. You have to learn from it and hindi ‘yung tira lang kayo ng tira,” he said.
“Kasi wala kaming go-to guy and hindi katulad noon na maupo ka lang, si Marina na ‘yung papalo eh tas hayaan mo na siya. Eh ngayon, hindi uubra kasi si Marina wala na eh, dapat ‘yung makuha nila kay Marina is ‘yung tapang from inside [the court].”
Images courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League.