Mark Calado in action for Savouge against PGJC-Navy in the 2025 Spikers' Turf Open Conference, February 21, 2025 at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City. PVL Media
MANILA -- Mark Calado made an immediate impact for Savouge, steering the Spin Doctors to a 25-23, 25-20, 25-13 victory over an undermanned PGJC-Navy side in the 2025 Spikers' Turf Open Conference opener on Friday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
Formerly with Cignal HD, Calado contributed 15 points to shine in the straight sets victory.
The Spin Doctors needed to survive a tight opening frame before dominating the next two en route to an early lead in the tournament.
"I'm super happy, of course. Every coach wants to see their players succeed," said Savouge head coach Sydney Calderon in Filipino. "I didn't set huge expectations for him because I didn't want to put too much pressure on him."
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Sherwin Caritativo provided strong support with 12 points (8 attacks, 2 kill blocks and 2 aces), while Deanne De Pedro contributed eight markers for the Spin Doctors, who are looking to improve upon their third-place finish in last year's Invitational Conference.
Savouge dominated the net with 13 kill blocks and added six aces, while the Sealions struggled to keep up, managing seven blocks and failing to register a single ace.
"This was just our first game, and we don't have a finalized lineup yet," added Calderon. "We experimented with different combinations to test our chemistry, and so far, the results have been positive. We were still adjusting in the first two sets."
PGJC-Navy fielded only 11 players, missing key contributors Joeven Dela Vega, Marvin Villanueva and Kevin Liberato. The Sealions' offensive struggles were evident, with team captain Greg Dolor leading with just nine points, while Herald Domingo added six, and both Omar Lioc and John Ashley Jabo finished with five markers each.
Savouge looks to sustain its momentum as it faces defending champions Cignal tomorrow (Sunday) at 3:30 p.m. at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, while PGJC-Navy will try to bounce back in their matchup against VNS-Laticrete at 1 p.m.