It was an up-and-down season for her, but she managed to break out just in time when the team needed a huge spark.
One of the key highlights of La Salle’s four-set ouster over NU last Saturday was the re-emergence of senior spiker, Cyd Demecillo.
The Cebuana spiker nixed the Lady Bulldogs to the tune of 15 points, and also spearheaded crucial runs in the third and fourth sets, to steal away the opposition’s momentum.
“May goal kami as a team [since] kailangan namin pagtrabauhin ang mga ineexpect ng coaches,” Demecillo gladly shared. “Nagdouble effort kami at pinaghandaan namin ito kasi do-or-die [match siya].”
However, things seemed bleak as Demecillo sprained her ankle after an awkward fall midway through the game. Luckily, she just shrugged it off and continued playing as if nothing happened.
“Nasprain nga ako pero inisip ko rin ang team,” she added. “Naisip ko rin na senior ako kaya kailangan kong bumalik para maguide sila at makacontribute ako.”
With all the positives that La Salle gained in their semis bout against NU, sans Ara Galang’s season-ending knee injury, Demecillo finally got the thing that she needed the most, her self-confidence.
“Basta nung pagkasprain ko, wala akong inisip kung hindi ang team,” Demecillo shared. “Kailangan talaga bumawi sa past games. Dapat double effort kami as a team.”
La Salle’s win also rewarded them their seventh return trip to the Finals since UAAP Season 71. In addition, this also marks the fourth time they faced the Ateneo Lady Eagles in the Finals since UAAP Season 74.
Surely, a rematch between the top two volleyball teams in the league would once again blow off the roof. However, Demecillo and the Lady Spikers will do it this time without the heart and soul of their team in Galang.
“Siguro sabi naman ni coach na with or without Ara, dapat united kami at tuloy-tuloy lang kami,” she quipped. “Ito na ang Finals, wala nang aatras at hindi kami [dapat] mag backout.”
The first game of the UAAP Women’s Volleyball Championship will be this coming March 11, 4pm, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Lady Eagles have a thrice-to-beat advantage since they swept the entire elimination round with a 14-0 card.
