The College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers went into the season with one mission: to defend the crown as one team.
Seven matches into the season, however, head coach Macky Cariño revealed one more goal.
“Ang target kasi namin, kami-kami lang is sweep [the rest of the way],” he shared.
The defending champions thus went into the game very much motivated, knowing of this gigantic goal. They went on to bounce back against the Perpetual Lady Altas, then outlasted the Letran Lady Knights during the season’s opening week. Romping of the Mapua Lady Cardinals and the JRU Lady Bombers continued the Lady Blazers’ hot start.
However, just before 2016 ended, in their sixth game, the Taft-based ladies suffered their first loss against the Lyceum of the Philippines University Lady Pirates.
It turned out, the sweep bid was not the lone motivation for the ladies from Taft to stay consistent.
What happened after surprised everyone, including the titled coach. The Lady Blazers sported shorter hair Thursday morning when they faced the San Beda College Lady Red Spikers.
Cariño said, “Ano nila yun eh, sugal nila yon. Pag natalo ng isa, putol ng buhok, usapan na nila yun, sila-sila.”
“Nagulat na lang ako a few days after ng game namin against LPU pagbalik ko putol na ang buhok nila,” he continued.
Middle blocker Ranya Musa shared more about the “dare.”
“Siguro po bago po magstart yung NC [napag-usapan]. Gusto po talaga naming mag-sweep,” she reflected.
“Pag natalo kami magpapagupit talaga kami ng boy cut.
Musa also shared that what Cariño only knew was that “short hair lang kami bago mag-NC,” the third-year spiker furthered.
The 19-year-old standout believed that such consequences pushed them because, “Ayaw po talaga naming magpaboy cut. Lahat po kami. So, nung dinare namin, parang naboost po kami na kailangan naming manalo para na rin sa sarili namin, para sa team, at para sa school.”
The hairdo might have worked its magic as the Lady Blazers demolished the Lady Red Spikers in four sets.
“So sabi ko at least nakikita ko na buo yung team ko. Sila-sila gumagawa ng paraan para mamotivate,” Cariño added.
Musa also considers, that by standing by their “promises,” the Lady Blazers felt that they are truly one family.
“Siguro po isa po to sa dahilan para mabuo kami lalo. Nung Christmas break po magkakasama kami; Christmas break pero may training. Araw-araw magkakasama kami and dun nabuo rin kami as a team and as a person.”
Musa thus hopes that this chain of events would fuel them to perhaps go all the way. However, the Blazers would like to take it one game at a time.
As the middle hitter puts it, “Hindi po kasi mababase sa isang laro lang. Pero kakayanin po namin, pagtitiwalaan po namin ang isa’t isa.”
“Yung family namin dun namin makikita kung gaano kami kabuo. Pag nakayanan namin tong eliminations, sana makaya namin yung semifinals para umabot kami sa Finals,” she added.
The new-look Taft spikers hope to continue their winning run all the way to another championship.
Nonetheless, with such display of unity, they are ready to face any challenge as one.
