Erika Santos all set to assist Tremendous Spikers to first PVL crown

Cignal Excessive Pace Hitters’ Erika Santos throughout a recreation within the PVL All-Filipino Convention. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web

There’s little question that Erika Santos will likely be one hungry and decided cog when she performs in her first Premier Volleyball League convention Finals with the Cignal Tremendous Spikers.

After signing with Cignal final yr and rising as MVP of the On Tour, Santos and the Tremendous Spikers’ feared triumvirate she completes with Vanie Gandler and Gel Cayuna are going for a first-ever title after they face Creamline in a best-of-three title sequence for the All-Filipino Convention crown beginning Tuesday at Good Araneta Coliseum.

“For positive, you’ll see how hungry I’m. (This has) been years within the making, and now that I’m Lastly right here within the finals, I actually wish to go all out to win the medal and the trophy,” Santos advised reporters in Filipino after solely enjoying one set in Cignal’s straight-set defeat to PLDT in a no-bearing semis recreation on Thursday.

A licensed star now, Santos vows to present her all and show to be the lacking piece as Cignal tries to go all the best way in enjoying a 3rd PVL finals. The Tremendous Spikers misplaced to Petro Gazz within the 2022 Bolstered and to the Cool Smashers in a five-set heartbreaker within the 2024 Invitational.

“I’m actually blissful. The expertise itself is an enormous deal, and you may see that every one the laborious work and targets of the staff are beginning to align,” mentioned Santos. “However everybody’s nonetheless hungry, and for me, particularly because it’s my first finals, I’m going to present my finest.”

Cignal has had Creamline’s quantity right here, claiming victories within the qualifying after which within the semifinals final Tuesday which resulted on this title sequence slot. They’ve performed a complete of 9 units in two matches.

And Santos won’t ever waver towards a crowd-favorite and an skilled champion staff like Creamline.

“Like I all the time say, I take pleasure in enjoying beneath stress,” she mentioned. “It’s actually as much as you ways you deal with it and the way you convey out your finest to outplay your opponent.”

The previous La Salle star attributed her rise to the belief the staff has given her, particularly Cignal coach Shaq Delos Santos, who turned her into an MVP and an All-Star starter.

“The transition wasn’t straightforward as a result of I needed to modify to a brand new system,” Santos defined. “However the good factor is coach Shaq and the employees have actually stayed affected person with me. And now it’s beginning to repay.

‘The outcomes are getting higher, and hopefully I may give much more within the finals,” Santos concluded.