Choco Mucho middle blocker Maddie Madayag. PVL Media.
MANILA, Philippines -- Maddie Madayag displayed flashes of her pre-injury form in an impressive outing for the Choco Mucho Flying Titans against the Akari Chargers on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.
In their first game of the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference, Madayag got the starting nod from new head coach Dante Alinsunurin, and went on to play a full match for the first time in 18 months.
She earned Player of the Game honors by scoring 11 points on nine kills, a block and an ace in the Flying Titans' 25-15, 25-20, 25-20 sweep of Akari. Madayag had played as a service specialist in the PVL Reinforced Conference last year, but this marked the first time since August 2021 that she was finally able to showcase her full skill set.
"I'm very happy na binigyan ako ni Coach Dante ng opportunity to, for my redemption," said Madayag, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee during the 2021 PVL Open Conference in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte.
"Ang tagal nung recovery ko and sobrang sakit nung pagkabagsak ko nun," she recalled. "Sobrang saya lang na nakabawi ako ngayong game. But syempre, hindi lang kami titigil sa game na to, tuloy tuloy parin."
Now fully recovered from the knee injury, Madayag showed her whole complement of skills -- torching the Akari defense for running hits, anchoring the Flying Titans' net defense, and even firing up an ace.
She downplayed the Player of the Game nod that she received, however, insisting that her full focus is only to help Choco Mucho start on a winning note.
"Hindi ko naman iniisip na yung POG, no? Syempre, kahit anong way na I can contribute to the team, gagawin ko naman," said Madayag. "Sa blocking, or kung magli-lead man lang ng team. Plus points na lang 'yung POG, kasi ibig sabihin mas gumagana yung sistema na gusto i-apply ni Coach Dante samin."
Madayag is now looking forward to playing even better as they grow into the system that Alinsunurin is installing into the squad. The former head coach of the men's national team officially took over the Flying Titans just last January.
"Feeling ko, hindi pa [kami 100%], lalo na sa new system na maa-adapt namin," said Madayag. "Feeling ko mas marami pa kaming matututunan and mas marami pa kaming maapply sa sarili namin."
"So, syempre, di lang ako, di lang yung team, di pa 100% so meron pa kaming ibubuga," she added.