There was a buzz around the SM Mall of Asia Arena, Saturday afternoon, usually reserved for the country’s biggest sporting events.
But it wasn’t a clash between heated rivals that brought droves of people to the MOA Arena. It was a meeting between neighbors, as Diliman’s University of the Philippines Lady Maroons took on Loyola’s Ateneo De Manila University Lady Eagles.
In the past, this match didn’t drive as much fanfare. Ateneo’s graduating co-captains Maddie Madayag and Bea De Leon have seen the match grow from an afterthought during their rookie campaign in the UAAP Season 77 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, to a social event now.
The development rivalry coincides directly with UP’s development. The match first gained incredible buzz in Season 78 when the Lady Maroons added a stellar class of rookies in Isa Molde, Tots Carlos, Justine Dorog, and Marist Layug. The then-upstart Lady Maroons scored an unlikely win over then-defending champions, the Alyssa Valdez-led Ateneo in the second round.
Since then, the UP-Ateneo clashes have become barometers for each team’s success.
Factoring in their recent matchup in the Men’s Basketball Finals, the Season 81 UP-Ateneo matches have filled venues. Their first-round matchup sold out the FilOil Flying V Centre, while their second round tiff was before an 11,493-strong crowd at the venue.
Ateneo’s two captains are glad to have been part of the UAAP’s new hot rivalry. Madayag was in awe of how the UP crowd outnumbered Ateneo’s, a rare feat in women’s volleyball.
“Yeah, I don’t know. Bigla na lang lumaki yung crowd ng UP, I guess. Kasi before, hindi masyado na… Basta compared before, sobrang intense ng crowd nila. Parang wow, ang ganda naman,” said Madayag.
“Actually, ang sayang mag-laro pag maraming crowd. Rivals, or like UP na kapitbahay namin, ang sarap lang pakinggan tsaka makita na nage-enjoy din pala sila sa game namin.”
De Leon ruminated on the two team’s similarities in volleyball ethos, down to their iconic cheers.
“The intensity is so high na kasi with UP. We were saying sa team na we’re a lot alike in that laban, fight-with-your-heart type of way. ‘Yun nga: UP Fight and One Big Fight,” De Leon said.
“Parang, that intensity really does boil down to execution and courage, which is so tough. They have a lot of really good players. I couldn’t be happier for the league and the sport. It’s my last year here, so it’s definitely one of the highlights of my career.”
