By: Ernest Tuazon
Now entering their senior campaigns, Detdet Pepito emphasized her hunger to exact revenge over her best friend Bella Belen in the ongoing 2024 V-League Women’s Collegiate Challenge and the upcoming UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament.
As leaders of their respective squads – Pepito for the University of Santo Tomas and Belen for National University – Pepito feels excited about the reinvigorated healthy competition between the two Sampaloc-based universities.
“Excited lang kami. Ta-try lang namin nang ta-try, pagtratrabahuan namin para makabawi kami,” Pepito said after the Golden Tigresses’ 25-22, 23-25, 25-20, 25-17 win over Lyceum of the Philippines University to open the V-League.
“Hindi kami susuko hangga’t hindi kami nananalo sa kanila.”
The 21-year-old libero emphasized the need for UST to steadily utilize the experience they gained over the past UAAP seasons to not only get back at the Lady Bulldogs, but also to claim their first UAAP title since 2011.
Key holdovers Jonna Perdido, Cassie Carballo, Angge Poyos, and Mary Banagua will be relied upon by Pepito to lead the rookie-laden Golden Tigresses in both their pre-season matches and in the UAAP.
(C) V-League Images
“Sa training, triplehan pa namin yung effort namin kasi nga preparation nandoon na,” the two-time UAAP Best Libero bared.
“Dapat yung experience rin dapat nadala na namin and nakuha na last season. Sana magamit namin yung experience ng maayos this time.”
With more than 10 new rookies in their fold – led by Marga Altea, Ashlee Knop, Arlene Waje, and Franzine Rameri – Pepito looks to quickly integrate their new young guns into their system.
Pepito will also rely on the new rookies while holding the responsibility of quickly integrating them into the Golden Tigresses’ system.
UST’s rookie class is led by Marga Altea, Ashlee Knop, Arlene Waje, Franzine Rameri, and foreign student-athlete Blessing Unekwe, among other key recruits.
(C) V-League Images
“Actually, hindi na siya naging bago kasi nga po nung first year ko na nag-captain ball, talagang maraming bago. So parang nakakatuwa lang kasi ang dami na namin,” the Quezon City-raised defensive specialist shared.
“Maraming talented ngayon, maraming promising ngayon na rookie, so sana mas ma-adapt nila yung sistema namin, and siyempre, hindi naman namin sila papabayaan.”
