Soltones ecstatic for PSL return with PLDT

MANILA, Philippines — With PLDT returning to the Philippine Superliga after a four-year absence, there’s one player who is more than happy to be back: Grethcel Soltones.

In a television interview, Soltones embraced the challenge, saying that she’s thrilled to see action in the country’s most prestigious women’s volleyball league anew to lead her squad back to prominence.

It won’t be the first time for Soltones to compete in the PSL.

She made her debut for Foton in the PSL Invitational Conference last year before moving to new team Iriga City in the Grand Prix.

But her participation turned sour.

She was found to have played in the All-Star game of the rival league, prompting the PSL to slap her with a one-year suspension for violating its existing “one-league policy.”

Instead, she returned to the Premier Volleyball League and saw action for the national squad in the AVC Asian Women’s Cup Championship recently.

But everything is now water under the bridge and the power-hitting spiker is more than ready to suit up in the PSL again.

“I’m super, super excited to play for PSL after a one-year ban,” said Soltones, who will be reunited with head coach Roger Gorayeb at PLDT.

“The biggest lesson I learned is that I should play with nothing to lose whenever my coach fields me and just enjoy the game.”

PLDT is one of the league’s six pioneer teams.

The following year, it finished fifth in the Grand Prix with Savannah Noyes and Kaylee Manns as imports before moving to the Shakey’s V-League, the predecessor of the Premier Volleyball League.

With PLDT bolting out, Petron and F2 Logistics crowned themselves as the league’s super powers while Cignal HD, Cocolife, Sta. Lucia, Generika-Ayala and Foton emerged as solid contenders.

Soltones said they would be ready.

“I heard our first game will be F2 Logistics,” she said.

“All teams in the PSL are very competitive. But we will be ready. We will do everything to win.”