First crown via sweep? ‘BaliPure joy’

MANILA, Philippines - It was a perfect way to avenge a Finals heartbreak.

But BaliPure coach Roger Gorayeb insisted it wasn’t a grudge match but simply playing good volleyball and getting the desired result.

“As a coach, I do not look at it as getting back at Pocari Sweat. That is not a good attitude especially if it would rub off on the players because they would become overeager. I just told them to play to win the championship no matter who we face,” said Gorayeb after steering the Water Defenders to a 25-20, 19-25, 25-23, 26-24 victory over the Lady Warriors to sweep the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference crown late Wednesday.

It was BaliPure’s first PVL crown since it joined the league last year and it came one conference after getting foiled by Pocari Sweat in sudden death in the Reinforced Conference.

But Gorayeb maintained he didn’t push his wards, led by Finals MVP Grethcel Soltones, setters Jasmin Nabor and Angelica Cayuna, Risa Sato, Aiko Urdas, Jerrili Malabanan, Macy Mendiola, Iris Oliveros, Jorelle Singh, Abijail Nuval and liberos Lizlee Ann Pantone and Alyssa Eroa, to seek for a payback.

“This is volleyball. It’s about displaying your best skills in the sport and not about getting on each other’s nerves,” added Gorayeb, whose wards surprised the three-time champions with a sweep of Game One, 25-22, 25-19, 25-22.

Still, the road to a first-ever championship didn’t come easy for the Water Defenders. In fact, they almost didn’t make it to the semis.

But with sheer determination, guts plus some luck, the Water Defenders can now call themselves champions in only their second year in the country’s premier women’s volleyball league.