DLSU LADY SPIKERS BRACE FOR MATCH AGAINST RIVAL UST
By Maxine Louise Lagman
February 10, 2017
THE DLSU Lady Spikers is bound to give the UST Lady Tigresses their payback on their first game in the UAAP season 79 tomorrow at the San Juan Arena, after being dethroned in a brutal face-off in the 2016 University Games held in Dumaguete, 25-15, 25-15, 23-25 and 25-10.
After La Salle’s victory over Far Eastern University last Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, 29-27, 25-22, 25-23, Coach Ramil De Jesus said that they are confident in playing against the Tigresses, especially now that standout player Kim Fajardo will be there to boost the team.
“Nung natalo kasi kami nun (against UST), wala nun si Fajardo. Eh ngayon, nandito na si Fajardo. Eh malaking bagay naman kasi si Fajardo. Una, kasi nakakapag-boost siya ng moral (ng team) and (she’s) a leader,” said De Jesus.
Coach Ramil has been vocal that La Salle offers a very different team this season in the UAAP compared to last year, with star players Ara Galang and Mika Reyes in sight. However, he makes sure that the team trains hard in order to find and form their own character in the team.
“Hanggang ngayon, medyo alanganin pa sa kanya-kanyang role. So parang hindi pa kilala kung ano yung kaya niyang gawin as a player at kung anong kayang gawin nung team. Siguro yan, medyo nangangapa pa,” added Coach Ramil.
Meanwhile, Fajardo will have to step up her game once more, and continue leading the fresh new faces in their team.
“Medyo kulang pa eh. May mga ano, mali. Saka may mga rookies kami na ngayon lang nakalaro. Siguro, ayun adjust pa,” said Fajardo.
The DLSU Lady Spikers are hopeful in bagging the win against UST’s powerful hitters, team captain Cherry Rondina and EJ Laure. However, La Salle still serves a threat to all the other teams with Joy Baron, Kim Dy and Desiree Cheng in the game.
Baron led the Lady Spikers in their game against FEU with 15 points followed by Dy with 11.
“Nag-step up si Majoy, even si Kianna. Kailangan kasi merong mag-step up eh. So wala naman sigurong iba, kundi sila lang naman yun. Even si Des, all out,” said De Jesus, hoping that even against UST, his players will continue on stepping up and leading the team.
And as Fajardo said, “We’ll get there.”
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