Former University of Sto. Tomas teammates Eya Laure and Sisi Rondina are set for an on-court reunion after being named to the Alas Pilipinas Women’s final roster for the upcoming AVC Challenge Cup.
Laure expressed her excitement about being on the same side as Rondina after spending the past year competing against each other in the Premier Volleyball League.
“Syempre, excited ako, kasama ko na ‘to (Sisi) ngayon,” said the Chery Tiggo ace during the national team’s unveiling of its new moniker on Wednesday at the TV5 Media Center.
“This time, mas marami rin akong nilu-look forward na bago kasi nga syempre for how many years ngayon lang kami ulit nagkasama ni ate Sisi (Rondina) and ni ate Jia (De Guzman),” she added.
Laure and Rondina are best known for steering the second-seeded Golden Tigresses to the UAAP Season 81 Finals.
There, they lost to the top-ranked Ateneo de Manila University in a tight three-game series.
Indeed, it was a memorable campaign for the two as Rondina bagged the Season MVP award while the then up-and-coming Laure secured the Rookie of the Year plum.
It was UST’s last finals appearance since the current batch of the Golden Tigresses, led by super rookie Angge Poyos and team captain Bernadett Pepito, helped the school make it to the Season 86 finale.
The team lost to National University via a sweep last Wednesday.
Laure will be making her return to the national team for the first time since the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in Manila. Meanwhile, Rondina, a beach volleyball veteran, is making her debut for the squad.
The Crossovers ace also expressed anticipation about teaming up with La Salle star and UAAP Season 85 MVP Angel Canino.
“Syempre, iba yung time talaga nung SEA Games 2019, so looking forward ako sa mga teammates ko ngayon. Ayun, may mga bagong additions, kasama rin si Angel (Canino), so very excited lang sa mga bagong learnings and experience na makukuha namin as a team,” said Laure.
Laure, however, asked the Philippine volleyball community for patience as the team has yet to gain a full week of practice.
The tournament will raise its curtains on May 22 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The daughter of former PBA player Eddie Laure vowed to give everything she’s got and help the national team make a good impression in the tournament, where they are pooled in Group A along with Chinese Taipei, India, Iran, and Australia.
“Ayun din talaga, patience lang din kasi ilang araw pa lang kami nagkakasama,” said Laure, who was coming off a fourth-place finish with Chery Tiggo in the recently concluded All-Filipino Conference.
“Actually, second day pa lang namin magkasama kasi pinagpahinga rin naman kami nila coach. ‘Di naman kami pinag-training kaagad nung time na nagpatawag sila ng training,” she added.
“Binigyan nila kami ng oras para mag-recover, para yung katawan talaga namin ay maging handa para sa mga susunod na liga na sasalihan.”
(C) Joaqui Flores/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
On the other hand, Rondina was coming off a grueling two-game series with Choco Mucho in the All-Filipino Conference finals where they lost to sister team and defending champion Creamline.
The 5-foot-6 dynamo said that she is looking forward to providing the national team with the same intensity she gave the Flying Titans in the previous PVL conference.
“Syempre, ibang usapan naman yun. Kung sino man yung ilalagay ni coach, magtatrabaho. Kung ipasok ako, syempre tatrabahuhin ko naman. Same effort lang naman kung ano yung ginawa ko sa PVL, same din yung gagawin ko dito para sa AVC.”
