Display of swag is something that local fans love to see as it adds more excitement to an intense volleyball match.
Chery Tiggo’s Mylene Paat wanted to celebrate a point in the fourth set of their intense battle against Akari in the in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference on Thursday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
But instead of screaming her heart out, the lefty winger simply stopped before flashing a smile as Chargers’ reinforcement Prisilla Rivera was there, staring coldly into her eyes.
“It was not my intention to show swag. I just played that way,” Paat explained after Chery Tiggo overcame Akari, 23-25, 25-21, 21-25, 25-21, 15-6, to grab the solo lead with a perfect 3-0 win-loss record.
“I didn’t expect her to be in front of me and staring at me. We met eye-to-eye, I just smiled and walked away.”
Paat’s attack that ricocheted off the hands of Rivera gave the Crossovers a 16-10 lead in the pivotal fourth frame.
Rivera, a three-time Olympian from Dominican Republic, was unfazed.
She actually scored a couple more points in the frame on her way to finishing with 30 points – 29 off attacks – in a losing cause.
“I was really surprised she’s already in front of me. I was about to shout that time to celebrate a point. I just stopped as she’s looking at me straight in the eye,” Paat said.
Did they get a chance to talk after the match?
“Hindi. Siguro inaabangan na niya ako sa labas,” Paat, who had 19 points, said in jest.