Cignal import Katrin Trebichavska is proving to be the spark the Super Spikers needed as they turned their 2025 PVL Reinforced campaign around.
Cignal head coach Shaq Delos Santos believes the Super Spikers may have finally found the piece they had been searching for in import Katrin Trebichavska.
Inserted mid-conference to replace Eva Chantava after a 0-2 start, the Slovakian reinforcement has sparked a major shift in Cignal’s campaign during the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference.
Since her arrival, the Super Spikers have won four of their last five games, capped by a stunning sweep of previously unbeaten ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles. This pushed Cignal to a 4-3 record.
Huge value beyond scoring alone
But while Trebichavska’s impact is clear, Delos Santos said the biggest value she brings goes beyond scoring.
“Ang laking tulong niya sa’min,” he said during the post-game press conference. “KT medyo nag-a-adjust pa talaga. To be honest, ang dami pa niyang kailangang i-adjust para sa team. Pero ang good thing is kung paano siya makisama sa’min, and ganun din ‘yung team kung paano siya i-accommodate and tulungan.”
[ALSO READ: Katrin Trebichavska feels right at home with Cignal after late entry in PVL Reinforced]
Delos Santos graded Trebichavska’s adjustment to the PVL at “eight or nine,” but noted that the on-court consistency they are aiming for is “around six going to seven.”
“Hopefully mag-end talaga sa 11,” he added with a laugh. “’Yung susunod na games must-win, so kailangan mag-all out. Mindset lang din and magandang communication.”
Teammates see her value
Cignal players echoed their coach’s belief in Trebichavska’s growing relevance to the team.
Katrin Trebichavska and the Cignal Super Spikers in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference. | Photo: RM Chua/One Sports
Erika Santos said Trabichavska’s easygoing nature off the court has played a big role in their chemistry.
“’Yung closeness namin outside the court nakakatulong,” Santos shared. “Light lang siya kasama and nakakatulong siya sa court.”
Vanie Gandler also praised the import for adjusting to the Super Spikers’ system faster than most players could.
“I have high respects for KT,” Gandler said. “Her adjustment time was not long. As an outside hitter, it’s very hard to adjust to a new system, and she was able to do it faster and better than I probably could. I’m really grateful for KT.”
For a team that struggled to put the pieces together early in the tournament, Cignal now looks like a complete unit — and their late reinforcement is right at the center of its rise.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.