Although they fell just two sets short of winning a championship, University of Perpetual Help DALTA head coach Macky Cariño has not lost perspective.
Barely anyone expected the Lady Altas to make the NCAA Season 94 Women’s Volleyball Tournament Final Four, let alone the Finals. They needed to win in their final outing of the elimination round to take the fourth seed.
From there, Perpetual made one of the unlikeliest runs to the Finals in NCAA history. They started by knocking off the top-seeded and twice-to-beat College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers in a pair of classic matches.
Then in Game One of the Finals, the Lady Altas proved that they were not content with just facing the Arellano University Lady Chiefs. No, they wanted to end a dynasty.
Perpetual fell short, but not without giving the Lady Chiefs a scare.
“Happy ako kung anong naging resulta. Magsisimula pa lang kami kanina, sabi ko, sobrang happy ko and proud sa kanila kasi umabot kami ng championship,” said Cariño.
“Whatever happens today, proud ako sa inyo. Madaming revelation nitong Finals, nitong semifinals na ‘to, na mago-open ng windows para sa susunod.”
The ‘windows’ Cariño pertained to was the recognition his program gained. Now, Cariño admits, Perpetual have gotten an influx of recruits.
Although he lost seniors in Cindy Imbo, Necelle Gual, Hershey Llorente, and Jowie Versoza, Cariño is confident his team will quickly retool.
“Alam niyo, ‘yung pagkatalo ko ngayon, maraming nag-open ng window. Dati, kami naghahabol ng players. This time, kami na pinupuntahan. Kung anuman resulta today, ang pinakanatutunan namin sa series na ‘to is paano nagkaroon ng opportunity yung Lady Altas na ma-recognize dito,” the one-time NCAA champion shared.
“Sabi ko nga sa recruits, dati, ang hirap. Ngayon, kami na pupuntahan. Ang makikita niyo na Lady Altas next season, iba na. Magde-develop ako ng fighting na Lady Altas next season. Start pa lang, makikita niyong lumalaban na ‘yung team.”
