Three months removed from their awe-inspiring campaign in the UAAP Season 81 Women’s Volleyball tournament, former Growling Tigresses Sisi Rondina and Dimdim Pacres shared the court and sought another run to the promised land on Thursday.
This time, though, they were facing each other across the net.
Rondina and her league-leading Petron Blaze Spikers collided with Pacres and the cellar-dwelling Marinerang Pilipina in the quarterfinals of the 2019 PSL All-Filipino Conference.
Though the Lady Skippers refused to yield in the face of a daunting challenge, the defending champions undeniably had more experience as a unit. Petron sent Marinerang Pilipina packing – and winless to boot.
Nonetheless, Rondina was simply glad to see the burly opposite spiker compete with the same fervor she has displayed ever since they were varsity teammates.
“I’m proud of her kasi naglaro siya ng laro niya. She did her best to fight for Marinera,” Rondina said.
“Nakikita naman natin yun improvement ni Dim.”
The UAAP Season 81 Most Valuable Player also said that she continues to be in awe of Pacres’ passion for the sport.
“Saludo ako sa kanya kasi kahit ganun yung physical niya, napapakita niya na hindi sa physical lang maba-base ang paglalaro ng volleyball. As long as you love the sport, walang problema,” Rondina said.
The two even shared a moment on the court despite the intense atmosphere.
In a sequence where both players rotated to the attack zone and roamed the front lines, the 5-foot-9 Lady Skipper took notice of the 5-foot-6 dynamo on the other side. When the opportunity to strike the smaller defender arose, Pacres pounced. But as she elevated for an attack, Rondina met her at the top and roofed her single-handedly.
Following the fine defensive play from her long-time friend, Pacres could only smile as she returned to her post.
“Natawa lang ako kasi nahuli niya ako, pero noong una hindi niya ako nahuli eh. Natawa na lang ako,” Pacres laughed.
But seeing Rondina on the other side of the court still isn’t a familiar sight for Pacres.
After all, the two had been partners on the playing field for ages, and they share a personal bond that goes back the when they were among the crowd of aspirants unrelentingly working to make a name for themselves.
“Kami ni Sisi, ‘di kami sanay na magkaiba kami kasi simula noong high school, magkakasama kami, lalo na ‘pag Nationals kasi doon kami nagkakasama eh,” she shared.
“Sobrang napapa-proud din talaga ako sa kanya.”
But while they may not play as teammates anymore, Pacres said that Rondina will always be her trusted confidant.
“Sobrang thankful din ako na andiyan din siya kasi minsan gina-guide din niya ako na kapag nasa-sad ako, nasa-sad siya at nag-uusap kami.”
