Just like her sibling Karl, Nathalie Absalon is representing her school not just to win a UAAP football title but also to honor their older brother Kieth, who died in 2021 after being a victim of an improvised explosive device explosion claimed by the New People’s Army.
The Sports Management student made a big impact for University of Santo Tomas in its debut in the UAAP Season 85 Women’s Football Tournament against University of the Philippines last Saturday.
Absalon converted a penalty for the Lady Booters in the 87th minute to allow them to earn a 1-1 draw against the Fighting Maroons to open their season in decent fashion.
Her endgame heroics offset an earlier incident in the match that got her a yellow card in the 70th minute for participating in a scuffle that started from a clash between UST’s Christy Logastua and UP’s Alyanna Yatco.
“Ang masasabi ko lagi is thank you Lord kasi binigyan Niyo kami ng chance kahit malapit na matapos. Nabigyan Niyo kami ng isang penalty para mag-draw yung game. For kuya Kieth din also,” said the Masbate National Comprehensive High School alumnus.
“For me kasi, kami ni kuya Kieth nagkokontrahan kami for Rookie of the Year sa Season 82. Siya (sana) Rookie of the Year running sa men’s, ako sa women’s so ayun, chinallenge talaga namin sarili namin para makuha yung Rookie of the Year,” she continued.
“Sadly lang nangyari yung pandemic kaya hindi namin natapos. Tapos ngayon, this season is for kuya Kieth. Sa amin ni Karl, parang maglalaro kami for Kuya Kieth. Kami yung magtutuloy sa naiwan niya.”
The two siblings have provided important contributions so far for their respective teams in the UAAP. Similar to Nathalie, Karl scored a goal for the Far Eastern University Tamaraws in their 2-0 win over UST in the men’s division earlier this season.
The younger Absalon made it a point to show his ‘FOR KUYA KIETH’ shirt to honor their late brother during his celebration.
“Parang gusto kong i-ano to, Absalon to. Kailangan namin maglaro para sa kuya namin nawala na isang sikat na player. Kami yung magpapatuloy para kay kuya sa naiwan niyang legacy sa amin,” she said.
Indeed, the pain and grief brought about by the loss of their brother Kieth will never go away. The fact that the three of them know what it is like to compete in the UAAP meant they knew exactly what each was going through while competing in the big league.
Now more than ever, the UST Senior High School alumna looks to give everything for her school to capture the glory that was denied Kieth in the collegiate level.
“Pagsisingitan ko sarili ko para sa team ko kahit hirap ako mag-adjust at makipag-usap kasi nagluluklok ako pag namimiss ko si kuya. Gusto ko yung comfort niya lalo na ngayon pressured ako kasi UAAP,” she said.
“Ang gusto namin mangyari is makuha namin yung championship. Six years ako sa UST tapos ito na yung first and last ko na UAAP. Sana mabigyan kami ng Panginoon ng swerte para makuha namin yung champion trophy.”
