While the ending may have been anticlimactic, De La Salle University rookie forward Dani Tanjangco shared how happy and fulfilled she felt as her first season with the Lady Booters came to an end in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Women’s Football Tournament.
Unfortunately, Tanjangco and the Lady Booters were unable to overcome the eventual three-peat champions, the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, who claimed the victory with a 3-2 win in the final last Sunday at Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Although the championship eluded them in Season 87, the journey to the final was still a memorable one for the former Beach Hut Football Club standout.
“Honestly, it’s really great,” Tanjangco, 18, said. “I learned so much from this experience altogether.
“I earned a family this year, and while it wasn’t what we expected, it just added more to the ride next year. We’re going to win. We’re hoping to win next year for our seniors.”
The De La Salle Zobel product was a standout this season, scoring five goals and earning three individual awards: Rookie of the Year, Best Striker, and the Golden Boot, which she shared with Far Eastern University captain Dionesa Tolentin.
Tanjangco comes from the esteemed DLSZ program under legendary coach Hans-Peter Smit, which has produced several stars over the years, including Sara Castañeda and Shai del Campo, who not only led the Lady Booters to championships but also earned individual honors for their exceptional performances.
For Tanjangco, though, her success is rooted in the support she received from those around her.
“At the end of the day, for me, I am so grateful. Like always, I owe it to all my seniors who helped me, all my coaches, and most of all, of course, my family, who really supported me throughout the way,” Tanjangco shared.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
According to La Salle coach Alvin Ocampo, 9-10 players, including Del Campo and defender Maye Mendaño, will be graduating this season. This means that players like Tanjangco will need to step up in Season 88 to bring the championship back to Taft.
Losing in a championship game is always tough, but if approached constructively, it can pave the way for future success. This is the mindset Tanjangco is embracing as she prepares to become one of the leaders of the Lady Booters next season.
“Definitely, I feel more sharpened from the experience and hungrier for the next season,” she said. “Of course, I want to thank all of them so much. They all played such big parts in my development, not just as a player, but as a person.
“They’re like, as I said, they’re my family now, and I’m just really so grateful that I’m going to be seeing them later on.”
