Alyssa Valdez was, needless to say, the toast of volleyball fans on this side of the globe following the Philippines emphatic victory over highly favored Vietnam in the classification round of the Asian Women’s Senior Championship the other night. Even as all eyes invariably turned to her given her status as the country’s most decorated player, she proved her mettle by scoring a tournament-high 20 markers, punctuated by aces to claim the first and second sets via sterling comebacks, and then a kill to clinch the match in the fourth. To be sure, those who have followed her exploits in the Asian Volleyball Confederation-organized event over the last week see it as par for the course; for all the talent such notables as Jaja Santiago, Mika Reyes, Maika Ortiz, and Abi Maraño possess, she remains the tent pole from which the hosts’ campaign progresses.
All the same, it’s fair to argue that Valdez wasn’t even the best performer for the Philippines against reigning Southeast Asian Games silver medalist Vietnam. That distinction can be said to have belonged to diminutive libero Dawn Macandili, whose floor defense from the get-go kept the opposition at bay despite the astuteness of setter Nguyn Linh Chi in reading block configurations. She was literally all over the court, making up for her teammates’ miscues and inability to properly adjust to the action. And the extent of her coverage is astounding; what she lacks given her 5’3” frame, she makes up for in unparalleled instinct, outstanding lateral movement, and utter fearlessness.
True, Macandili isn’t entirely unknown. In fact, her mantel is replete with Best Receiver and Best Digger awards culled from her stints with De La Salle University at the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. That said, an absence of international experience proved to be telling for her heading into the meeting with Vietnam; in previous appearances against Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, and South Korea, she looked lost and out of her depth, so much so that, in crucial situations, head coach Francis Vicente actually thought best to tap substitute DenDen Lazaro, fresh off an injury and, until early this year, in prolonged hiatus from active duty.
On a prospective note, the Philippines cannot but be oozing with confidence. For the first time in a long, long while, it boasts of depth, and, under Vicente’s sure and steady mentorship, its exposure to well-honed competition figures to serve it in good stead. And while it benefits from the once-in-a-generation skill sets of Valdez and Macandili, it understands that sustainable success comes from making itself greater than the sum of its parts.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.
