Dionesa Tolentin had a noticeable spring in her step last Saturday for Far Eastern University, which kicked off its title defense in the UAAP Season 86 Women’s Football Tournament with a 1-0 victory over University of Santo Tomas.
The 23-year-old forward from Zamboanga del Norte recently came home from international duty with the Philippine Women’s National Football Team that competed in the 2024 Pinatar Cup in Spain.
She was a livewire in the attacking third for the Lady Tamaraws and sharper finishing would have allowed her to add to FEU’s tally against UST, but a win and the three points that came with it were all that mattered in the end.
Now with a return to national team colors for the first time since 2019 in the bag as well as a winning start to the season with FEU, things are looking up for Tolentin.
“Para sa akin po, sobrang saya po. I’m grateful po kasi yung national team po, yun yung pinag-pray ko talaga na makabalik ako doon and then yun po yung answered prayer ni God sa akin. Sobrang thankful ako dun,” she said.
For coach Let Dimzon, who gave Tolentin her international debut back in the 2019 AFF Women’s Championship, this latest call-up would only help the Education student grow as a player.
It is always hard to balance international duty as a student-athlete in the UAAP, especially when schedules clash. But things worked out well for Tolentin and she was able to experience things that some of her peers can only dream of.
“Good exposure for her,” said Dimzon. “I’m happy for her na naka-experience siya playing with the senior national team and also with the coaches. Maganda yung exposure na na-experience niya kasi marami siyang makukuha and she was able to play two games. I think magandang experience para sa kanya.
“Going here, hindi ko siya ipapasok muna pero siya talaga yung gustong-gusto maglaro. At least binigyan ko ng chance pero I think mas better na pinahinga ko muna siya para mas maging maganda performance niya going into the next game.”
While in Spain, Tolentin had the chance to learn from coach Mark Torcaso as well as teammates such as Katrina Guillou, Sarina Bolden, and Quinley Quezada.
She also got to taste what it is like to play against European countries as she was brought on in the friendly against Finland and the Pinatar Cup clash with Scotland.
The UAAP Season 85 gold medalist made sure to absorb everything that she could throughout her stay in Spain.
“Sabi lang nila sa akin na ipagpatuloy ko na lang din daw yung sipag ko sa training at sa game. Pag binibigyan ako ng pagkakataon makapasok, dapat all out para deserve ako na makalaro,” said Tolentin.
“Sobrang galing po talaga ng European players eh. Technically and individually skillful. Skillful naman din tayong galing Asia pero advance lang po talaga sila since yung football po sa kanila parang yun po yung pinaka top talaga na priority sa kanila. Kaya sobrang saya po. Opportunity po yun para sa akin.”
After her national team stint, Tolentin hopes to pay things forward for the Lady Tamaraws. She will try to incorporate lessons from the Filipinas call-up into the FEU program, which is targeting back-to-back UAAP championships this year.
If there is one thing she will try to apply, it is instilling a sense of camaraderie within this batch of Lady Tamaraws.
“Yung eagerness na manalo every game and yung teamwork ng bawat isa sa field and sa labas,” she said.
“Parang family na, on and off the field. Yun po yung gusto kong madala dito na kahit sa labas at sa loob ng field, buo kayo.”
