Choco Mucho rookie Lorraine Pecaña is shaping up to be an asset for the Flying Titans’ net defense in the absence of their more veteran middle blockers.
Choco Mucho rookie Lorraine Pecaña was quick to repay her inclusion into the starting six early into the new PVL season.
Only in her second game as a starter, Pecaña recorded seven blocks in Choco Mucho’s first win of the season against the Galeries Tower Highrisers. Three of these rejections alone came in the crucial stages of the fifth set, which aided the Flying Titans’ escape on Thursday.
“Gaya nga ng mga sinasabi ko sa mga nag-iinterview sakin, ang laking role na binigay sa akin ni Coach Dante [Alinsunurin] ‘yung position na ito, na first six na. Tapos as a rookie, ‘yung tiwala na binibgay niya, andon na,” she said.
“Kaya dapat magtiwala din ako sa sarili ko kung ganon nagtitiwala ‘yung mga kasama ko. Dapat ‘yung tibay ng loob ko, determinasyon ko sa araw-araw na training, ganun din dapat ‘yung binibigay ko sa bawat laro na pinapakita namin.”
Pecaña was picked 11th overall in the PVL Rookie Draft last July by the Flying Titans, but sparingly played during the 2024 Reinforced Conference as Maddie Madayag and Maika Ortiz manned the team’s frontline.
But with key losses, an opportunity for Pecaña came to show her wares. Madayag has since departed for the Japan V.League, while Ortiz is yet to play this season. Aduke Ogunsanya, meanwhile, is nursing an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear she suffered last March.
And if Thursday’s game was any indication, then she’ll do just fine filling in for the likes of Madayag in Choco Mucho’s 2024-2025 All-Filipino Conference campaign.
In doing so, she will have a great set of mentors including Alas Pilipinas stalwart Chery Nunag, and even Ogunsanya as she watches from the Choco Mucho bench.
“Grabe po ‘yung guide nila sakin. Every time na pag na-block ako neto, alam ko na ano gagawin kasi sinasabihan nila ako kung ano ‘yung ia-adjust ko. ‘Yung mga labis ka sa ganito, adjust mo ito, ‘yung mga simpleng guide po,” she told The GAME in a brief follow-up.
“Kahit sa training po, sa training hindi naman ganun lagi ka-perfect. Lagi may [maling] galaw pero lagi sila nandyan. [Sinasabi nila] ‘ganito’, ‘atras ka’. Hindi po sila nawawalan ng pag-guide para sa akin.”
With a much-needed breakout, Pecaña hopes to continue drawing confidence from her teammates and the solid performances she will get through a bigger role.
“‘Yung confidence para sakin, ibibigay talaga ‘yan ng mga kasama, ng mga nagtitiwala at ng mga coaches…Makukuha mo ‘yan sa unang galaw mo sa court at kung ano ba ‘yung ipe-perform mo. Pag maganda, all-out na ‘yan, maganda na ‘yan hanggang sa huli,” said the 23-year-old.
Banner image courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League.