As each of the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons were being called to receive their gold medals in the middle of the FilOil Flying V Centre court, Tots Carlos jokingly lined up with her teammates.
With a laugh, she was pulled aside by a team official. Carlos was, however, only half-amused.
The fourth-year winger had to sit out UP’s championship run in the PVL Collegiate Conference, missing out on being a part ending the program’s 36-year title drought
“Siyempre, happy, pero sa lugar ko mixed emotions kasi siyempre history.
“Sino ba namang may ayaw na kasama kang naglalaro knowing na yun nga, makakatulong ka sa team?,” said UP’s captain during the UAAP Season 80 Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
The Lady Maroons missed out on the Final Four in Season 80, but Carlos made a superstar leap. The Pampanga native led the team in scoring, before a right shin stress fracture kept her on the sidelines.
As one of the team’s leaders, the 20-year-old spiker was proud to see her teammates’ immense improvement throughout the Collegiate Conference.
“Grabe, sobrang na-shook ako sa teammates ko kasi kahit UAAP game, never ko sila nakitang ganyan kagutom sa panalo.”
With UAAP Season 81 looming, Carlos presents another cog the Lady Maroons can add to their rookie-fortified core.
For now, Carlos is focused on recovering.
“Finofocus ko kung paano ako babalik, ano recovery ko. Siyempre kahit papaano iisipin mo pa rin yung sarili mo. Siyempre, ‘di naman agad-agad na pagbalik mo all-out ka kaagad, unti-unti para masanay ‘yung katawan mo,” the 5-foot-6 hitter shared.
“Long term pa rin naman talaga iniisip ko. Kung anong lagi kong sinasabi ko sa kanila na bibigay ko talaga best ko kahit anong laro pa ‘yan.”
Since she couldn’t bring her signature high-flying prowess to the court, Carlos willingly joined the thousands of UP fans in the bleachers of the FilOil Flying V Centre.
To the UP community who showed all-out support through the program’s highs and lows, Carlos wanted to pay special thanks.
“Sobrang nagulat kami. Grabe yung first game saka Game Two ng Finals, sobrang dami ng tao. Gusto ko lang na, in behalf of my team, gusto ko mag-thank you sa kanila na kahit down ‘yung team, kahit sampu pa ‘yung lamang ng kalaban, ‘di sila tumitigil sa pag-cheer,” she closed.
“Sana ‘di sila mag sawa, and start pa lang to eh, UAAP sana andun pa rin sila. Lagi lang nila iisipin na lahat ng ginagawa namin para sa kanila.”
