Pocari Sweat skipper Michele Gumabao believes in destiny.
So when the Lady Warriors clinched the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Reinforced Conference title Monday night, it affirmed her belief that she and her team are fated to win.
“I think this championship, from the very start, it was really meant for us,” said Gumabao after Pocari bested fancied Bureau of Customs in a two-game sweep of their best-of-three championship series.
“We worked hard for this. We went into every game wanting to win the championship. This was our end goal, and finally, nakamit namin,” she added.
The Lady Warriors prevailed in Game 2, 25-14, 25-10, 22-25, 25-23, but it wasn’t an easy one.
They cruised into a quick two-set lead, but saw the BOC Transformers regain their composure in the third frame when their Thai spiker Kanjana Kuthaisong bombarded the net with unstoppable attacks.
Pocari lost the third frame, with Gumabao admitting that they relaxed and lost their defensive touch, but the Lady Warriors recovered their steam in the fourth to close out their campaign on a winning note.
“This championship was very exciting. Akala namin nung una, madali lang yung trabaho namin. I think that fourth set was a test of character and faith for us na we worked hard for. So at the end of the day, no matter what happens to you, if it’s really yours, ibibigay talaga,” said Gumabao.
Pocari showed its willingness to win the title right from the start.
They finished the eliminations on top with a 6-1 win-loss record – their only loss coming at the expense of Air Force – before sweeping their best-of-three semifinals against University of Santo Tomas.
Gumabao said Customs’ crowd advantage was also a crucial factor in the title series, but they still worked their way for themselves and for their supporters.
“Kahit andaming boo ng crowd, we know naman our supports, and as long as we’re working together, we’re going to win,” Gumabao said.
“The best way to silence the crowd is to win the championship,” she added.