PREVIEW: San Sebastian eyes Final Four return with more experience, new setter in arsenal

Published April 8, 2024 7:15pm

Updated April 8, 2024 7:15pm

Key losses: Vea Sison
Key holdovers: Kath Santos, KJ Dionisio, Christina Marasigan, Amaka Tan
Record: 3-6

San Sebastian College-Recoletos is eyeing a return to the Final Four in the NCAA Season 99 women’s volleyball tournament.

Armed with more experience and a new setter, the Roger Gorayeb-helmed squad hopes to bring back the glory days of Baste in volleyball after finishing with just three wins and six losses in Season 98.

“Ang goal po namin is makabalik kami sa Final Four. Sa tulong ng mga bata, majority po sa amin ngayon is rookie talaga so we’ll try our best para makabalik sa Top 4.” team captain Amaka Tan told GMA News Online.

[Our goal is to return to the Final Four. With the help of the younger players, because majority of our players now are rookies. So we’ll try our best to get back to the Top 4.]

Returning for the squad are Tan, Kath Santos, Christina Marasigan, KJ Dionisio, and Jassy Lumibao.

Dioniso was San Sebastian’s top scorer last season with 125 points, while Marasigan had 111. Santos had 103, while Tan had 90 points as the four made it to the league’s top 20 scorers.

Many will also join the Lady Stags this season with Mary Anne Adia, Zenith Deposoy, Juna May Gonales, Chloi Lazarte, Brigitte Martinez, and Lei Pasco.

However, San Sebastian also hopes that their new setter Von Dimaculangan will make an immediate impact to the team.

“We have a new setter po kaya makakabalik kami ulit feel namin, kasi maganda yung connection namin with our setter ngayon,” Tan added.

“Sobrang importante para sa amin ‘yung setter kasi yung setter ‘yung magda-drive sa team bukod dun sa libero. Maganda talaga na sa school namin napili niya para dumagdag sa team.”

[We have a new setter so we feel we can get back. We have a good connection with our setter… The setter is really important for us because the setter drives the team aside from the libero. It’s really good that she chose our school and added to our team.]

Dimaculangan, formerly of the University of the East, completed her residency in Season 98 and replaced Vea Sison, who graduated last year.

“Sa tingin ko naman maganda ‘yung chance namin this year sa NCAA,” Gorayeb said in January. “May setter na rin ako. ‘Yun ang importante.”

[I think we have a good chance this yer in the NCAA… I have a setter. That’s what’s important.]

“Mas matapang, mas palaban, mas buo ‘yung loob,” Santos added.

[More courageous, more defiant, more confident.]

San Sebastian will open its campaign on Tuesday against Mapua University.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News