For a team that had just lost a championship series via two grueling five-setters, the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles were surprisingly festive.
Rather than expected dread brought by the bitter taste of silver, there was a sense of optimism from the Lady Eagles.
“We really didn’t expect to be here.
“I think no one din thought we’d get here with how we started,” said team captain Michelle Morente.
True enough, Ateneo started the Shakey’s V-League Collegiate Conference horrifically, losing two straight matches to teams they had no business losing to.
Players were settling in to new roles, and the talk within the team was of constant progress no matter the result of the match.
But slowly, the Lady Eagles assimilated their new pieces and survived one must-win situation after another.
They weren’t supposed to make it out of the elimination round. But they were able to make it all they way to the Finals.
The National University Lady Bulldogs proved too cohesive and hungry for the Lady Eagles to overcome. So the Ateneans clutched their silver medals with pride and optimism.
“The biggest thing we learned is kaya pala namin,” said setter Jia Morado.
“The season was very challenging for everyone because it was a new situation for almost everyone. Pero we still managed to reach the Finals which is so big for us,” she added.
“We’re really proud of what we’ve reached. Magaling talaga ‘yung NU and they played so well. For us naman, we were just going to be happy with whatever we reached and we’re already excited of playing more games as a team,” Morente added.
“I don’t think anyone on the team is disappointed. Maybe a little because this is still a loss. But everyone recognizes where we started this season and all the hard work it took to get here.
“For sure, there’s still a lot to work on but this is a great start for our new group,” declared middle hitter Bea De Leon.
Without Alyssa Valdez, the three-time UAAP MVP that had carried the Ateneo program to two UAAP titles, the Lady Eagles found different contributors. Everyone had their share of the spotlight.
“We’re much more confident now compared to how we started the season.
“It has a lot to do with our preparation and we know if we work hard na kaya namin. What we have on the team is enough to be great,” Morado continued.
“It was great seeing the team come together like this as the season progressed. Now, it’s about how we continue to build on this. We have to work harder now than before,” De Leon remarked.
