LEILA BARROS STEALS PINOYS' HEARTS

The entire Italian women's volleyball team--tall, statuesque and classic beautiful--wrapped only in towels, wandering around the Century Park Hotel lobby, looking for the swimming pool.

Wouldn't that be enough to stop you on your tracks?

Well, that's exactly what happened to a number of hotel guests the other weekend, including some officials of the Philippine Amateur Volleyball Association (Pava), which was staging the Manila run of the World Women's Volleyball Grand Prix.

''It created a commotion, but in a very pleasant manner,'' said Jake Uichico, a Pava director. ''It was excusable since the pool is in the mezzanine, maybe they pushed the wrong button in the elevator... I'm sure nobody minded the whole thing.''

Of course, nobody should.

For goodness' sake, Maurizia Cacciatori and Francesca Piccinini were there in that team.

By now, perhaps every Filipino--office workers, students, society, business and sports personalities, and ordinary people who went to watch the games live, and on television-know them. And to some extent, they have been smitten by the two players' volleyball skills which blended all too perfectly with their Hollywood good looks.

A smash hit

Maybe that potent combination made the recent Grand Prix such a smash hit. It was replete with everything Filipinos would go for: World-class volleyball action, accessible venue, enough media hype and, of course, an array of beauties.

''I think what happened there was that everything fell into place, it was hyped as a world-class (event) and the players delivered world-class games; there was television coverage by Vintage and ESPN; local newspapers carried it,'' said INQUIRER sports editor Al S. Mendoza. The INQUIRER, in fact, covered the event extensively.

Mendoza added that the new rules, particularly the one eliminating sideouts, made it infinitely more exciting. ''It was made for television, so there will be more action, sparing us the lulls brought by sideouts. It was extended 25 points per set, best of five sets with the fifth set to be decided up to 15 points only.''

It helped a lot, of course. But obviously the most compelling reason people trooped to the PhilSports that weekend was the players themselves.

''We were even surprised that Filipinos know who they are; who are the superstars and their background,'' said Uichico.

Brazilian bombshell

Though Cacciatori and Piccinini were the pre-game favorites, it was Brazilian spark plug Leila Barros who stole the Filipinos' hearts.

It was very easy to fall in love with Barros. On the court, she exuded the sexy toughness of Sigourney Weaver in the ''Alien'' movies. Very intense. She went for the ball relentlessly without fear she might get hurt. She jumped so high she stayed in midair long after her blockers had descended. She spiked with the ferocity of an angry beast, but moved her 5-ft-8 frame gracefully like a traipsing gazelle.

''But her best quality is that she's got the X-factor and she's got rapport with the fans,'' said Uichico.

She stayed long after her teammates went to the showers just to accommodate requests from fans for autographs and pictures with her. She knew how to flirt with the fans, something her fellow Latina Thalia (remember "Marimar"?) excelled in.

Though she's been married for three years now and is just waiting till the Sydney 2000 Olympics is over before she could have kids, Barros, 27, got a number of propositions through adoring placards waved by fans.

Her Italian counterparts weren't that obliging, though.

Cacciatori, 26, whose shock pose with her arms raised and her tongue sticking out sold out the souvenir program, had been the pre-tournament darling. But she proved detached from the fans, sometimes refusing autographs and appearing too intense and focused with her game--after all, she is the world's best setter.

Johnny-quick

She was so wily and quick that Filipino fans called her Johnny Abarrientos. Only that she looks better than the prolific Alaska pointguard.

She has golden hands that fed teammate Piccinini countless attacking opportunities.