With or without teammates, Capital1 and Kaya keep championship race tight

The way the Capital1 Solar Strikers were scoring goals against University of Santo Tomas on Saturday, it seemed like there was an intra-squad derby for the Women of the Match citation in their 2025 PFF Women’s League showdown.Angela Teves had a hat trick in Capital1’s 12-1 win over UST at Mall of Asia Football Pitch. Regine Rebosura also had a hat trick as the Solar Strikers chased—and tabbed—a double-digit goal output to fuel its bid in what is shaping up to be a neck-and-neck race for the title.If it were up to Judie Arevalo, either of her teammates should have gotten the game’s top individual honor. “I really don’t mind if any of my teammates were named Woman of the Match,” the Capital1 winger said after receiving the citation, her third this season. “Receiving the honor means stepping in front of the camera again [to do interviews] and I’m very shy.”She had no choice but to accept and speak in front of the camera again. Arevalo, after all, scored five goals.“I focused on the target,” she said. “Because of the [tournament] system, we wanted to have double-digit goals.”While Capital1 had plenty of scorers, Kaya Iloilo had to deal with the absence of key stars before subduing University of the Philippines, 5-0. Julissa Cisneros scored a hat trick while Dionesa Tolentin added a brace as Kaya missed the services of skipper Hali Long and goalkeepers Inna Palacios and Kiara Fontanilla, who were called up for national team duty. “I believe we have a really strong group in the sense that, you know, when we need to make the changes, we all have a positive mindset,” said Cisneros. We're knowledgeable like, okay, you know, Haley's not here, Ina's not here, Kiki's not here. [The rest of us] got to step up into those roles and be leaders in our capacities,” added the Mexican winger. Kaya tied Capital1 at 18 points but with a game in hand as both teams are now just a point off idle leader Stallion Laguna. Kaya faces a tough schedule heading into the homestretch with matches against Capital1, Stallion and dangerous young squad Makati FC still in its calendar.