Eya Laure stepped up when needed the most especially after the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses lost one of its main arsenals.
The rookie displayed her scoring prowess, grit and heart to help the Tigresses string their first back-to-back victories in the UAAP Season 81 Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
Laure averaged 17.5 points per game and delivered the intangibles in the Espana-based squad’s conquest of three-time defending champion De La Salle University and National University to claim the Chooks-to-Go/Collegiate Press Corps UAAP Player of the Week honors.
Coming off a stinging defeat that saw UST lose Fil-Am sophomore hitter Milena Alessandrini to a harrowing left knee injury, UST came back to action this week using that as rallying point with Laure leading the charge.
The wing spiker dropped 15 points with 13 coming off attacks and 17 digs on Wednesday in the Tigresses’ masterful dismantling of the Lady Spikers, 25-20, 25-22, 25-17, in UST’s first win over DLSU since Season 78.
“Ako as a rookie po siyempre, parang La Salle is, nasa taas sila. Itong liga na ito, sila yung defending champions. So isang malaking bagay na din, hindi lang sa akin pero sa buong team, yung ma-boost ang confidence namin na, na kaya din namin,” said Laure.
Three days later, she followed it up with another stellar performance in UST’s 26-24, 25-17, 23-25, 25-17 victory over the Lady Bulldogs, whose core is composed of Laure’s high school rivals.
Laure posted 20 points with all but one coming off attacks.
However, the UST freshman was quick to downplay the angle of payback against NU.
“Ano naman, hindi ko naman iniisip nang ganun. Iba naman talaga pag-college, iba ‘yung pinag-uusapan so ‘yung high school, nandoon na iyon, leave it there,” she said.
Laure eclipsed teammate Sisi Rondina, Ateneo de Manila University’s Kat Tolentino and rookie Lycha Ebon and Heather Guino-o of Far Eastern University for the weekly recognition given by reporters from broadsheet, tabloid and online publications covering the beat.
