By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
There will be no Mika Reyes for the PLDT High-Speed Hitters when the first conference of the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) kicks off.
According to PLDT head coach Rald Ricafort, the superstar middle blocker underwent a right shoulder injury that kept on bugging Reyes since the past PVL conferences.
Reyes’ absence will leave the High-Speed Hitters a huge void as the former Philippine team middle blocker staple led the franchise to several convincing campaigns both in the All-Filipino and the Open Conference.
However, the High-Speed Hitters still has Dell Palomata, one of their remaining veteran middle blockers, who also anchored the team’s defense.
Also boosting PLDT’s defensive lineup is Majoy Baron, one of their few off-season acquisitions from the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers that already disbanded its PVL franchise.
Ricafort will have to rely on Baron and Palomata while Reyes is still nursing her right shoulder injury in the upcoming PVL conference that will begin this February.
The veteran volleyball tactician also added that Reyes is now undergoing her rehabilitation process but will still be sidelined for the rest of the conference.
Aside from Palomata and Baron, Ricafort still had some reliable middle blockers in his pool of players such as Jessey De Leon and Rachel Austero.
Kim Kianna Dy, who joined Baron in PLDT from F2 Logistics, can also help in the middle blocking department despite playing as an outside hitter.
Dy’s ability to bother the opposing’s offensive attack was vital during their past campaign with the Cargo Movers two seasons ago when they reached the PVL semifinals.
