ALYSSA Valdez want to make her final game for the defending champion Ateneo Lady Eagles a memorable one.
She is expected to come up with another sterling performance when the Lady Eagles try to deny La Salle Lady Spikers a shot of their first crown in three years.
The Lady Eagles are all set for a deciding Game 3 showdown with the Lady Spikers at 3:30 p.m. today in the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines women’s volleyball finals.
Valdez, who scored an awe-inspiring 34 points in Game 2, said they will have to momentarily forget the euphoria of that 18-25, 26-28, 25-17, 25-16, 15-11 victory over the Lady Spikers last Wednesday.
“Pagbalik sa Saturday, kailangan kalimutan iyung win nu’ng Game 2. We just have to remember what we did right, analyze our mistakes, and fix things during training,” said Valdez, a three-time MVP awardee.
If the Lady Eagles pull it off, the Lady Eagles can claim their third straight crown.
Coach Tai Bundit is confident in the leadership role which Valdez provides for the team.
“I believe Alyssa can score. I tell her to spike it left, spike it right, then score,” Bundit said in halting English.
But the Lady Spikers are confident they can bounce back even after they squandered a two-set advantage in Game 2, en route to the heartbreaking loss.
“They (Lady Spikers) have two days to practice and adjust. On Saturday, they will finish the job,” said La Salle sports director Nonong Calanog, after coach Ramil de Jesus declined an interview after the game.
The Lady Spikers actually appeared to have lost the momentum in the third set when star spiker Ara Galang left on a bum knee, but she is expected to be back in fighting form this time around.
“If you see the pattern (on Ateneo’s head-to-head this season), ‘di ba nanalo kami then natatalo kapag nakapag-adjust sila. Nanalo kami nakapag-adjust sila and hopefully makapag-adjust kami and there’s no more adjustments after that,” added Calanog.
Calanog said the players were silent after the game, refusing to discuss the setback, and their chance of winning Game 3 even when they emerged from the dugout, and headed for their shuttle.
“Parang they don’t want to. Parang they want to put this one year of hard work down the drain,” said Calanog.