For team captain Detdet Pepito, the timing couldn’t be more perfect.
As she gears up for her fifth and final year with University of Santo Tomas, Pepito won’t have to shoulder the load alone.
The Golden Tigresses welcome back two key reinforcements as they open their UAAP Season 88 Women’s Volleyball Tournament campaign against National University this Sunday, February 15, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
After missing the entire Season 87 — one with a torn left ACL and the other nursing a fractured tailbone — graduating hitter Jonna Perdido and fourth-year spiker Xyza Gula are finally back to bolster Shaq delos Santos’ squad.
Their absence was felt deeply last season. Even as UST secured a bronze-medal finish, the void left by Perdido and Gula was undeniable. Now, that gap has been filled.
“Sobrang laking tulong,” Pepito told reporters at Wednesday’s press conference at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay. “Hindi naging madali yung laban namin last season without them. Sobrang laking tulong, hindi lang sa skills, pero sa experience at leadership na meron sila.”
Perdido’s steady wing attacks and Gula’s all-around versatility, coupled with the rise of Angge Poyos, Reg Jurado, and Cassie Carballo, had been instrumental in UST’s runner-up finish in Season 86.
With the Golden Tigresses back at full strength, Pepito — who has experienced both the highs of a Finals appearance and the lows of falling short — feels more confident than ever that Season 88 is UST’s golden opportunity to finally win it all again.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Standing in her way are powerhouse squads like the Lady Bulldogs, De La Salle University Lady Archers, Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, and University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.
“Syempre, championship. ‘Yon nga yung sinasabi nila na hindi na talaga third place or second place yung pinaglalabanan — yung championship na nga. Kasi isa kami sa teams na sobrang solid pa yung lineup at konti pa nawala. Kaya ito na yung best chance para makuha yung championship,” the two-time UAAP Best Libero shared.
“Happy din ako kasi lahat ng teams, talagang kaya na or may ibubuga na. Mas nakaka-excite kasi syempre, iba’t-ibang sistema meron sila. Excited kami makakuha ng learnings from different teams.”
The return of Perdido and Gula, however, comes amid the setback of middle blocker Em Banagua, who remains sidelined after knee surgery last year.
But Pepito remains unfazed. With the depth of the current roster, the Golden Tigresses are more than capable of not only covering Banagua’s absence but also ending UST’s 16-year championship drought.
Filling in the middle will be rookies Lianne Penuliar and Avril Bron, alongside Marga Altea, Mary Coronado, and the timely addition of Fil-Japanese spiker Julia Balingit.
“Actually, ‘yon yung kinaganda namin ngayong season na lahat ng players, kayang-kaya mag-contribute. Unlike before na kapag may nawala, parang hirap na yung team,” Pepito explained.
“Ngayon, kahit isa or dalawa yung mawala or may mga busy na players, laging may nagfi-fill in at kaya mag-perform ng 100-percent para tumulong sa team.”
