Former rivals Alyssa Valdez and Gretchen Ho from Ateneo and Aby Maraño from La Salle (middle) share their stories about the 2012 UAAP finals, the series that changed PH Volleyball.
From foes to friends?
After years of battling it on court as members of fierce rivals Ateneo Lady Eagles and the De La Salle Lady Spikers, Alyssa Valdez and Abigail Maraño said they are not closing their doors on the possibility of playing together in the future.
“If given an offer by one team, why not, I think it’s going to be interesting,” said Ateneo’s Valdez during the Inquirer’s volleyball forum on Monday. “It’s fun having a teammate like Aby.”
“Sobrang interesado ako makalaro si Alyssa. Interesting makalaro ‘yung dati mong mga kalaban,” Maraño, formerly of DLSU, added.
(It’s going to be super interesting playing with Alyssa. Teaming up with your former opponents is an interesting prospect.)
Valdez and Maraño, both two-time MVPs in the UAAP, along with former Lady Eagle Gretchen Ho, recounted on Monday their memorable Finals faceoff in 2012, which was widely regarded as the series that helped spike volleyball’s popularity in the country.
READ: Valdez, Maraño, Ho credit rise of PH volleyball to players before them
While Maraño and the Lady Spikers went on to win that series and another Finals meeting the following year, Valdez and the Lady Eagles have made history by copping the title the succeeding two years.
The two teamed up for the national team which saw action at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore, but shared that they have an “unfinished business.”
“Gusto mo akong maging teammate kasi gusto mong buhatin kita (You want to be my teammate because you want me to lift you),” Maraño ribbed Valdez.
The Petron Lady Blazers stalwart has a penchant of lifting her teammates to celebrate a point.
Valdez shared that during their SEA Games stint, Maraño had lifted her only once, which she said was apparently undocumented.