In a season of transition, Judith Abil has emerged as a player willing to do it all for Cignal’s campaign in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference.
Tasked with filling the void left by key departures, Abil has taken the challenge head-on, providing the firepower and leadership the HD Spikers need.
On Thursday night at the Philsports Arena, Cignal delivered a statement win, cruising past Capital1 with a commanding 25-12, 25-15, 25-17 victory. With top spiker Vanie Gandler struggling to find her rhythm, Abil and rookie Ishie Lalongisip shouldered the scoring load, leading the HD Spikers’ offensive charge.
Abil, who has experienced a resurgence since joining Cignal last year, posted 13 points, including 10 from attacks, two aces, and a block. Meanwhile, Lalongisip, a promising talent from Adamson University, also contributed 13 markers, with 12 coming off powerful kills.
"Ine-embrace ko lang po ‘yung role na binigay sa akin ni Coach Shaq (delos Santos). Parang siguro ‘yung pressure laging nandiyan, ine-entertain ko lang siya as positive," Lalongisip shared after the win.
She emphasized her dedication to constant improvement, adding, "Like everyday sa training tinatiyaga ko lang din kahit nandoon ‘yung factor ng pagod, pero alam ko at the end of the day may natututunan ako sa ensayo namin."
For Abil, her standout performance is a testament to her hard work and trust in the system set by head coach Shaq delos Santos. "Sa akin naman po, kung gaano (kalaki) ‘yung binigay na tiwala ng coaches, ni Coach Shaq sa akin, yun yung ilalagay ko rin sa sarili ko yung tiwala sa sarili ko. Trabaho lang, tiyaga lang sa training," said the former University of the East standout.
Stepping into bigger roles has been a necessity for Cignal, especially with former MVP Ces Molina and dependable middle blocker Riri Meneses no longer in the lineup.
Lalongisip, now the team’s starting opposite hitter, has embraced the challenge, averaging 13.6 points per game.
Abil, on the other hand, has made the most of her opportunities off the bench, chipping in 7.25 points per match.
The coaching staff has also pushed Abil to contribute more offensively.
"Mag-score lang po, ‘yun din kasi kulang nung last game din po na puro na lang open ‘yung nagso-score. ‘Yung dito sa utility hindi nakaka-score, ‘yun din ‘yung sabi ni coach na tulong din sa team kapag laro," Abil explained.
Coach delos Santos couldn’t be prouder of his players’ efforts and resilience, especially at this crucial juncture of the season.
"Thank you Lord, syempre sa panalo. ‘Yun talaga ‘yung kailangan namin especially ngayon sa status namin. Syempre proud sa team, nama-maximize namin ‘yung mga tao namin, ‘yung mga strengths, especially dito sa katabi kong dalawa," he said, referring to Abil and Lalongisip.
He also emphasized the importance of veteran presence within the squad, highlighting the contributions of Dawn Catindig, Vanie Gandler, and, of course, Abil.
"Sobrang nagwo-work hard talaga sila sa training. But of course, ‘yung mga leaders namin sa team, sila Dawn (Catindig), sila Vanie (Gandler), and kay Judith (Abil), ‘yun nga sabi ko kailangan tumulong talaga siya sa attacks."
