Savouge may have endured back-to-back heartbreakers, but the Spin Doctors proved they belong among the elite contenders in the 2025 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference.
Despite falling short in consecutive five-set thrillers, Savouge showcased its mettle by pushing both defending champions Cignal and powerhouse Criss Cross to their limits in the elimination round.
The Spin Doctors opened their week with a strong performance against the three-peat-seeking HD Spikers, seizing a 2-1 set lead before ultimately conceding a narrow 25-27, 25-20, 30-28, 22-25, 13-15 defeat last Wednesday.
Determined to bounce back, Savouge took care of business against VNS-Laticrete on Friday. But on Sunday, they faced another grueling test against the league-leading King Crunchers. Once again, the Spin Doctors dragged a powerhouse opponent to the brink before bowing out in a tense 25-20, 13-25, 26-24, 19-25, 11-15 loss.
While those defeats may seem like damaging blows, star hitter Mark Calado saw a silver lining in Savouge's courageous showings. For him, these performances revealed that Savouge is no longer an afterthought in a league that had previously been dominated by Cignal and Criss Cross.
"Para sa akin ah, kaya naman talaga. Lahat ng teams, kaya namin talunin," said Calado, who erupted for a conference-best 36 points in their loss to Criss Cross.
"Siguro malaking boost sa team ‘to. Syempre magbibigay confidence na alam na ng team na kayang talunin lahat ng teams," he added.
With the semifinals approaching, Calado stressed that the Spin Doctors will focus on transforming their hard-fought battles into actual victories when the stakes are at their highest.
The former Far Eastern University standout believes the key lies in improving their composure during crunch time — an area that proved costly in their narrow losses.
"Pero ‘yun nga, kailangan lang namin talaga kumapit sa dulo. Kailangan naming alagaan ‘yung bawat points kasi sa paparating na semis, hihirap talaga for sure," said the former PNVF Champions League MVP.
"Sobrang kulang talaga. Kulang pa kami, lalo sa duluhan ng laban. Saka ‘yung kapit siguro kasi nahihirapan pa kami mag-adjust sa mga ganun. We will work on that sa darating na semifinals."
With Savouge's fighting spirit and Calado's leadership, the Spin Doctors are poised to turn their near-misses into statement wins as they continue their bid for Spikers' Turf supremacy.
