AFTER the La Salle Lady Spikers won five straight games in the second round, members of the team knew that they will make it to the finals of the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines women’s volleyball tournament.
Mary Joy Baron, one of the team’s mainstays knew the finals was coming their way, and stepped up her game along with the rest of the veterans.
“Ang dami kong natutunan. Una, ang daming talo. Tapos, nagkaroon kami ng mga panalong madadali,” said Baron, the Lady Spikers’ 5’11 middle blocker.
Another junior spiker, Kim Dy, also felt this and did her part, and eventually claimed the Finals MVP honors.
For head coach Ramil De Jesus, winning the crown was a proud moment for the team especially after what it has gone through in the previous season.
“Ang tagal naming inantay ito. Very proud ako sa mga seniors,” he said.
De Jesus spoke his thoughts last week, a few minutes after the Lady Spikers held their ground with a big defensive wall in the fourth set to put away the defending champion Ateneo Lady Eagles, 19-25, 25-21 25-15, 25-15, at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Lady Spikers needed a year to prepare after they bowed the Lady Eagles in season 77.
To get the team ready for a big comeback this year, de Jesus needed to trust one of the team’s leaders, Kim Fajardo.
He eventually got Fajardo to be the skipper the Lady Spikers in Season 78.
In giving Fajardo such a big responsibility, he had the goal of regaining the proud team’s lost glory.
This was after La Salle experienced two years of futility against the Alyssa Valdez-led Lady Eagles.
“After season 77, nakita nila kung gaano kasakit ang pagkatalo. Kaya this year, pinaghandaan namin ito,” said de Jesus.
Season 77 was a painful and frustrating one for La Salle even if they reached the finals.
It became a big concern with players hit by injuries.
This included one their aces Ara Galang, who suffered an ACL injury before the end of Season 77 Final Four.
Then, there’s Desiree Cheng, who was also out because of a knee injury she sustained late last year.
On the other hand, Fajardo’s presence became the glue that kept the team together.
“‘Yung mga attacks ko sa game siguro nasa isip ko talaga na kailangan kong maka-point,” said Fajardo as she contributed point for the team. Her contributions helped Fajardo lead her team to a ninth title overall.
In Game 3 of the finals, not only were the veterans having their shining moment. There were junior players who kept providing points as well.
Dy, dedicating her game to five teammates who are graduating this season, proved to be one of the Lady Eagles’ headaches, and this earned her the Finals MVP honors.
The 5’10” Dy made 17 points, with 16 of it on attacks, and La Salle found itself taking a decisive 9-2 edge.
That was when she combined for blocks twice with Mary Joy Baron, and then another one with Mika Reyes.
Blocks from Dy and Cyd Demecillo off Jhoanna Maraguinot and Alyssa Valdez proved fatal for the Lady Eagles.
The Lady Spikers were able to move away and take a 10-point edge, 14-4 in the ensuing play.
Valdez hit 34 points when she led the Lady Eagles 18-25, 26-28, 25-17, 25-16, 15-11 win over the Lady Spikers.
In Game 1, La Salle had little trouble pulling off a 25-22, 25-22, 25-21 win over Ateneo, which took the crown the last two years.
So far, La Salle claimed its ninth championship under coach Ramil de Jesus, and after they last held it following a three-peat from 2010-2012.
Valdez, playing her final year for Ateneo, showed the way again for the Lady Eagles, dishing out 31 points, with 30 off her attacks during the 102 minute showdown before a crowd of 22,848.
With her imposing presence, the Lady Eagles quickly took a 10-2 edge in the first set, with Jia Morado capping Ateneo’s scoring run with an ace.
In the second set, Dy scored twice off blocks on Amy Ahomiro while Kim Fajardo added an ace to give La Salle a 16-10 spread.
Blocks by Demecillo and Dy in the third saw La Salle moving away, 14-9.
De Jesus said the players learned from their mistakes from Game 2, and this helped them win the championship.
“Sabi ko sa kanila, matuto tayo dito. Ayun, sumunod sila sa game plan,” said de Jesus after he finally broke his silence from their terrible loss.
The Lady Spikers dedicated their title conquest to five graduating teammates led by Mika Reyes, Mika Esperanza, Carol Ann Cerveza, Ara Galang and Cyd Demecillo.
