After Chanelle Lunod propelled the Ateneo de Manila University women’s badminton to three-peat glory, an air of wonder enveloped the Blue Eagles as they contemplated who could step up in her stead after she left the nest.
The squad, however, did not look much further and prepared then-rookie Jochelle Alvarez to fill Lunod’s shoes.
The 21-year-old upstart took it in stride and accepted the added challenge, stating, “It is given na nag-graduate si ate Chanelle, kailangan mag-step up ng bawat isa dahil hindi magiging madali. Lahat ng other teams, malalakas talaga. Kailangan prepared kami to step up.”
For Alvarez, it was not that hard, as she had a one-year wealth of experience to draw lessons from.
“Siguro ang pinaka-take away ko lang is ‘yung pagiging fighter. Syempre kung may skills ka nga pero hindi ka palaban, wala rin. Kaya ‘yun ‘yung importante sa ‘min, lalo na sa ‘kin,” said the Central Philippines University product.
That same fighting spirit was what Alvarez took into Friday’s final.
The second-year Blue Eagle started at the back foot against the University of the Philippines’ Susmita Ramos, losing the first game at 14-21.
Nonetheless, like the brave warrior she had become, Alvarez leveled the match at 21-16 and, consequently, put Ateneo in the driver’s seat with another 21-16 win in the deciding game.
“Actually kanina, ‘yung feeling ko iba na. Iba na kasi ‘yung pressure ‘pag Finals po talaga. I think despite po ng pressure, na-handle ko po siya throughout at nanalo po ako,” she admitted.
That win turned out to be the pivotal one as the Blue Eagles eventually wrapped up their four-peat drive with a 3-1 conquest of the Fighting Maroons, ending with a doubles clincher from Alvarez and her captain Mika De Guzman.
The eventual co-Most Valuable Player could not hide her relief and joy that she performed well to help Ateneo keep the crown in their side of Katipunan and, in the process, inherited Lunod’s place as a top student-athlete for the season.
She shared, “Very grateful po kasi mahirap po talagang i-maintain ‘yung title, kaya sobrang saya po na lahat ng training namin, nailabas lalo na in this Finals.”
“Personally, hindi ko in-expect tong MVP; ang gusto ko lang ilabas ‘yung best ko. Siguro dahil dito mas binigyan ko pa ng effort ‘yung bawat laro ko. Gagawin ko pong motivation ‘tong MVP award ko.”
