Jia de Guzman is the standard for many, but Gel Cayuna bested her in the recent PVL Invitational Conference—at least in the individual accolades.
Cayuna brought home her second PVL Best Setter award as the mid-season conference wrapped up, overcoming de Guzman, who has previously won the award eight times.
The playmaker for the Cignal HD Spikers, however, isn’t about to let it all get in her head. In fact, she tips her hat to the Creamline Cool Smashers star.
“Sobrang idol ko rin siya talaga. Jia is Jia. Iba na rin ‘yung narating niya, iba na rin ‘yung experience niya,” Cayuna said on Monday on One Sports’ The Game.
The former FEU Lady Tamaraw at one time was teammates with de Guzman in the Philippine women’s national volleyball team, which only allowed the younger volleybelle to learn from the veteran setter out of Ateneo.
“Nakikita ko sa kanya ‘yung dedikasyon, ‘yung pagiging sincere niya kung paano niya trabahuhin ‘yung responsibilidad niya. ‘Yun po ‘yung natutunan ko talaga. Kung paano niya rin akuin ‘yung responsibilidad niya. ‘Yung standard [niya] sa sarili,” Cayuna explained.
It’s no wonder that de Guzman leads the PVL record books with the most Finals MVP awards at four.
But that’s not the hardware that the two-time PVL Best Setter cares about.
“Kung may dream man ako, gusto kong marating ‘yung kay ate Jia na makapag-champion din ng ilang beses,” Cayuna disclosed.
Being part of a team like Cignal that finished third in the PVL Invitational, which also has beloved MVP Ces Molina in the fold, that goal might not be too far from Cayuna’s hands now.
“Every conference, isa lang ‘yung goal namin, to be on top. Hindi naman magbabago ‘yung mindset namin,” Molina said in the same interview.
“Hindi lang bronze [ang gusto namin], pero unti-unti kaming makapasok sa finals and mag-champion as well,” the MVP added.
The HD Spikers certainly have their work cut out for them in pursuit of their first-ever PVL title. Good thing Cayuna and Molina will be there to lead the way.
