By: Czarina Agaton
University of the East open hitter Christian Antonio played with resilience despite sustaining a minor injury during training.
In their four-set match against the Adamson Baby Falcons, the Junior Warriors showcased dominance in a closely contested game, securing the win, 25-23, 22-25, 25-20, 25-20.
Antonio led the team with 13 points, all from attacks, along with six excellent digs. He was closely followed by captain Lance Babon, who tallied 13 attack points and two aces.
“Actually, ginawa ko na yung best ko kasi kahit na-injured ako nun. Pinilit ko talaga para mapanalo yung team namin,” Antonio shared.
Despite having his left hand heavily taped, Antonio continued to play with strength and determination.
“Natapakan ako ng ka-teammate ko during training, tapos tumunog siya,” he recalled.
The 5-foot-11 spiker from Pasig City focused on remaining brave and keeping his coach’s advice in mind, especially while dealing with the injury.
“Ang advice lang ni Coach (Herbert Dizon) ay mag-focus lang sa game lagi, tapangan sa court, walang inarte. Kaya yun po, bumalik din yung confidence ko, ate. Tumapang din ako talaga.”
Despite remaining in second place with a 4-1 win-loss record after a loss to the University of Santo Tomas, Antonio and the Junior Warriors are determined to apply what they’ve learned.
They plan to give UST a tough fight in the second round of the UAAP High School Boys’ Volleyball Tournament.
“Yun nga, dadalhin namin yung tapang namin. Babawi kami. Tapos, hindi namin papabayaan na matalo ulit kami ng UST,” Antonio reflected.
