After a rousing 2-0 start to its UAAP Season 84 women’s volleyball tournament campaign, De La Salle University suddenly dropped its next two assignments, which put the team in the middle of the league standings.
Understandably, the young Lady Spikers were down after that successive losses.
With that, team captain Mars Alba made sure to talk to her teammates to try and uplift their spirits. That discussion immediately bore fruit. La Salle annihilated the University of the East in just three sets, 25-15, 25-14, 25-15, to end its losing skid on Saturday night at the Mall of Asia Arena.
So, what exactly did Alba tell her team?
“Papunta pa lang tayo sa exciting part.
“For me po, mahirap sa amin yung losses sa mga past games. Siguro ang ginawa ko lang is to motivate nga sila na hindi pa tapos yung laban. Nag-uumpisa pa lang and marami pang games na kailangan pag daanan. Basta mag-focus lang and gawin yung sistema ni coach Ramil [De Jesus],” she added.
At just 22-years-old, Alba has assumed the lead playmaking role and captaincy of the young roster after veteran setter Michelle Cobb decided to forego her final playing year. But make no mistake, her time as a second-stringer most definitely helped her ease into her new role.
“Siyempre mahirap kasi nag-start ako second setter, laging may senior. So for me, ginawa ko siyang motivation na kailangan ko mag-step up as a senior kasi wala na kaming ibang aasahan,” said Alba, who is currently in her second playing year for La Salle.
The 5-foot-7 Alba, who came in off the bench to start the first frame, tossed 12 excellent sets to lead the Lady Spikers to a 3-2 win-loss slate.
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