One of the pillars of an elite sports program is continuity, and this is something 12-peat UAAP Softball champion Adamson University takes great pride in.
Last season, the Lady Falcons captured another golden trophy, guided in part by four graduating seniors, including long-time catcher Aliza Pichon.
This season, the goal remains unchanged, but a new player must step up to backstop the campaign—both literally and figuratively. That backstop is Victoria Magbanua.
Entering her third year with the Lady Falcons, Magbanua is no stranger to the league. But taking on the spotlight as the reigning champion’s starting catcher is a challenge she both needed and wanted to embrace.
“Siyempre po, andoon talaga ‘yung kaba. Pero andoon din po ‘yung gusto kong tumulong sa team. ‘Yun lang ang inisip ko; na hindi ko kailangang magpadala sa kaba o sa pressure. Ang kailangan ay makatulong ako sa team, may mai-ambag ako sa team,” said the 23-year-old catcher from Talisay, Negros Occidental.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Her confidence comes from the lessons she learned in her first two seasons and from guidance by Pichon. The former catcher, now working in Adamson’s athletics office, offered Magbanua tips on playmaking alongside the team’s vaunted pitchers.
“Humingi din ako ng advice kay Ate Pichon ng mga kaunting advice lang po kung paano dalhin ‘yung pitcher kung maganda ‘yung bola nila,” the Physical Education major added.
The season opener against Ateneo de Manila University proved a baptism of fire—not just for Magbanua, but also for her battery partner, Maryjoy Alpitche. The duo passed the test with flying colors as the Lady Falcons cruised to a 25–0 shutout.
“Nag-usap kami kasi nga pareho naming first time, first season na first nine. ‘Kailangan nating mag-ambag sa team. Kailangan nating ipakita kung ano tayo sa pinag-training-an natin; kailangang lumabas ‘yon sa game,’” said Magbanua, the pride of Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
“Nag-struggle po kami sa depensa namin sa trainings. Marami rin kaming mali, pero ginampanan namin kung ano ‘yung role namin sa team sa game na ‘to, kung ano ‘yung kailangan naming gawin para matulungan ‘yung pitcher,” she added.
Following a tighter 4–0 win over the University of Santo Tomas, Magbanua and the rest of the Adamson squad hope to carry their confidence and determination into their next challenge against the University of the Philippines—their Finals rival for the past three seasons.
“Gusto kong ipakita sa mga tao na nag-improve ako, ‘yung skills ko pinagtrabahuhan ko para makarating din ako dito,” she said.
“Sa team naman, gusto kong makita na sa defense, maging mahigpit pa kami, magtutulungan pa, tutulungan pa namin ‘yung pitcher. At ‘yung sa paluan po, magsunod-sunod po talaga ‘yung hit namin at maging consistent kami.”
