FOR THE first time, the UST Lady Spikers abandoned an all-Filipino line-up and fielded a guest player in 6-foot-2 Thai national team mainstay Utaiwan Kaensing in the Shakey’s V-League.
Coach Odjie Mamon said he picked Kaensing to man the middle, admittedly his squad’s waterloo. And so far, the 23-year-old Thai has been delivering. She averages four blocks per game and is third in the league in scoring at 17 points per game.
Kaensing brings to the Lady Spikers her veteran poise and experience, having played in the Asian Cup, Volleyball World Grand Prix, and World Championship.
“I always wanted to have a dominant middle blocker. Utaiwan is perfect for us. She’s an all-around player. She knows how to play offense and defense,” Mamon said.
Assistant coach Vilet Ponce de Leon said the coaching staff initially intended to keep the “tradition” of keeping an all-Filipino line-up. But UST could not let the opportunity of getting the Thai standout pass.
Besides Kaensing, the Lady Spikers are reinforced by two-time league MVP Mary Jean Balse. Joining them are Judy Caballejo, Maika Ortiz, and Maruja Banaticla.
“We will bring our A-game and hopefully the infusion of Balse and Utaiwan will further boost our chances (of winning the title),” De Leon said.
Mamon said one problem with Kaensing is communication because she barely speaks English. He said the team adopted the hand signals used in Thailand to communicate plays to the import.
“I tell her the play through sign language, and fortunately she gets my message right,” the coach said.
