Katrina Magbitang achieved something that only a few athletes can boast of in the UAAP – earning the Most Valuable Player Award in her first year of playing in the league.
Magbitang played a crucial role in the midfield as the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws defeated De La Salle University last Sunday, ending an eight-year drought and securing the school’s third treble in history.
“Actually, first UAAP season ko ito,” said the Sports Science student. “Sobrang laking pressure rin para sa akin. Ginawa ko trabaho ko as an individual para din sa team.
“Nagpapasalamat na lang ako sa Diyos kasi. Binigay Niya lahat ng opportunities, mga blessings na binibigay niya sa akin. Dami talaga kaming natanggap na champion ngayon kaya sobrang laking pasasalamat ko lang talaga.”
The newly-crowned champions fought relentlessly to achieve their goal of winning the championship in every match this season. They overcame setbacks and always bounced back.
The Lady Tamaraws only lost one match in Season 85 out of the nine matches played. It was a 3-2 defeat against La Salle in the first round. Despite this setback, coach Let Dimzon’s players persevered and emerged victorious when it mattered the most.
“Naging as one talaga kami,” said the Pampanga native. “Yung goal namin ay manalo, makuha tong championship. Marami na kaming napagdaanan. Sobrang laking pressure yung natanggap namin.
“Thank you sa mga sumusuporta sa amin, sa mga coaches, sa mga nag-gui-guide sa amin, sa mga teammates, sa mga walang sawang sumusuporta. Siguro sa kanila naka-dedicate yung larong to kaya nakuha namin to.”
FEU demonstrated their mental toughness when they managed to overcome a 90+10 minute goal by La Salle’s Shai del Campo that forced the game into overtime. Magbitang and her teammates did not succumb to the pressure.
Instead, they fought even harder during extra time. Their hard work paid off when Regine Rebosura scored her second goal of the match in the 118th minute, securing the championship.
“Siguro hindi namin binasa yung score. Lumaban pa rin kami hanggang dulo kasi meron kaming goal, which is manalo itong season na to. Actually, one last game na kami kaya binuhos na namin lahat para manalo kami,” said Magbitang.
As a midfielder, the third-year student plays a crucial role in connecting the defense and the attack. She needs to maintain a high level of stamina in every match to fulfill her responsibilities as she moves up and down the field.
All the hard work eventually paid off for Magbitang. She not only won a gold medal but also received the MVP award, capping off an outstanding campaign. Ultimately, though, she was just doing her job on the pitch.
“Parang kami yung makina ng team, which is yung nag babalanse ng depensa at atake, atmnag-di-distribute bola. Kami din yung nag-ko-kontrol ng tempo kaya sobrang nagpapalamat ako kay Coach Let [Dimzon] kasi talagang pinush niya kaming mag-champion,” she said.
