FOR the La Salle Lady Spikers, inspiring words from their most senior player meant a lot.
And in the end, they thanked their team skipper and setter Kim Fajardo for the words of courage that she shared and her actions during critical moments in the fifth set.
“Sabi ko sa kanila, wala nang bibitaw,” said Fajardo after the Lady Spikers played to a 19-25, 25-14, 18-25, 25-18, 15-10 verdict over the Ateneo Lady Eagles in Game 2, a win that allowed La Salle to keep the 79th University Athletic Association of the Philippines women’s volleyball tournament Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Lady Spikers have been struggling to be a cohesive team all season long.
“As time got by, nalaman namin kung paano kami magje-jell. Lumabas na lang iyung talent ng team,” said team skipper Kim Fajardo.
The 5’8” Fajardo, the only graduating member of the Lady Spikers, expressed her thoughts after La Salle finally snared their 10th championship against Ateneo.
Her words a senior player seem to have sunk in.
And that’s when a pair of steady hands in Ernestine Tiamzon and Kim Dy that’s been working hard in the fourth, continued stepping up in the fifth set.
And so, the Lady Spikers, with Dy leading with 19 points and Tiamzon adding 16, went on to win their 10th championship under coach Ramil de Jesus in the 20 years that he’s handled the team.
When Ateneo took the third set, 25-18, the Lady Spikers fought their way to an 11-all deadlock in the fourth set.
Dy handed them their last tie when scored on a hit from the left side off a pair of blockers in Kat Tolentino and Isabel de Leon.
La Salle earlier took Game 1 with a 21-25, 29-27, 25-22, 25-20, result.
In the final set, Baron and Tiamzon combined for a 6-1 run that gave them the upperhand.
Defensive plays from Dy and Cheng allowed La Salle stay ahead, 10-4.
For De Jesus, this is his most challenging title conquest so far.
He felt that this year’s lineup did not show the kind of chemistry that he was looking before the start of the season.
“I’m happy. Sobrang mababaw pa ang team (during the start), at wala akong makuha,” said De Jesus.