After the UST Golden Tigresses’ victory over the UP Lady Maroons, Sisi Rondina could not contain her smile.
The University of Santo Tomas’ graduating captain’s happiness spilled into her answers during the post-game presser. She quoted movies like “One More Chance” and admitted that she rarely sweats during games.
But the Lady Maroons made her sweat. Rondina finished with 20 points and led the Golden Tigresses to an 8-4 record, one win away from an outright Final Four berth.
“Wala. Wala sa isipan ko talaga kanina na matatalo kami. Gusto namin makakuha nang magandang puwesto,” the Cebuana told Tiebreaker Times.
“Lahat ng fighting words talaga sinabi ko na sa mga bata.”
Rondina explained her sweating as a product of the match’s implications and UP’s execution. The 22-year-old Tomasina remembers breaking into a sweat against the Ateneo Lady Eagles in the second round, a game in which she had 102 spike attempts in five sets. She belted out 55 attacks against UP in three frames.
“Hindi ko talaga alam kung sa sobrang lamig or what (sa Arena). Promise, Ateneo and ito, talaga sobrang nakakapagod. Nahihirapan din ako sa ibang games, pero siguro 55 attempts din ako sa palo kanina,” the 5-foot-6 spiker said, even wiping her armpit as proof.
“Sa akin talaga, mas marami akong binuhos for this game compared sa past games. Mas nabigyan ako nang maraming talon kanina. Basta manalo kami, maliit na bagay lang ‘yung pagtalon-talon ko.”
The Tigresses just need one more win, either against FEU on Sunday or NU on April 27.
Reflecting on their season, Rondina feels lucky to have a like-minded teammate in the equally-fierce Eya Laure, as well the rest of the team.
“Before pumasok si Eya, sinabihan niya ako na tutulungan niya ako, hindi niya ako iiwan. ‘Di ba ang ganda kasi pareho kami ng pinaglalaban nung bata? Tinext niya ako nang mahaba,” the Cebuana recalled.
“Nagpasalamat ako sa kanya and sinabi ko na tutulungan ko rin siya. Ang sarap sa feeling kasi nakikita mo ‘yung mga pinagsasabi niya. Wala kang hindi nakita sa mga pinagsasabi niya. Hindi pa siya college, ganoon na takbo ng isip niya.”
