By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Negrense volleybelle Kiesha Bedonia has decided to leave the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws to sign with the PLDT High Speed Hitters ahead of the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) season.

The Negros Occidental’s Silay City-native Bedonia shared that she decided to accept the offer from the High Speed Hitters after not being included in the Lady Tamaraws roster for the second straight UAAP season.

“Hindi po ako na-lineup sa UAAP kasi about din sa units ko sa college and decision rin ng parents ko na mag-pro na ako,” Bedonia said during the PVL Media Day event.

“Naintindihan naman ng FEU ‘yung naging decision ko. Sabi sa akin ni [FEU coach] Manolo [Refugia] na pagbutihan ko sa pros kasi wala talagang tamad-tamad sa pros,” she added.

The former Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts standout admitted that she is still adjusting to her professional volleyball life, but thankful to her veteran teammates who are helping her to adapt quickly.

“Para sa akin, iba ‘yung pressure ng pro kasi ‘yung kasama mo mga veteran na, tapos ‘yung mga kalaban mo veteran na din,” Bedonia said.

“‘Yung [training sa] college from high school parang normal-normal lang, parang laro-laro lang, pero sa college iba na,” she said.

“Happy naman ako na may teammate ako from FEU sa PLDT [referring to Shiela Kiseo] kasi wala naman ako kakilala pa sa PVL, pero ngayon okay naman sila, sobrang fun nila kasama,” she added.

As one of the new players of the High Speed Hitters, the Negrense volleybelle said she is willing to contribute to whatever head coach Rald Ricafort will task her to do in the squad.

“Ang ma-contribute ko sa PLDT is ‘yung i-remind sila, especially when I am still outside the court, and i-remind din na laban lang po talaga and all-out inside the court,” Bedonia said.

The High Speed Hitters came off a fifth-place finish in the 2023 PVL 2nd All-Filipino Conference last December 2023./ASC, WDJ