Gizelle Tan (left) celebrates a point with her Ateneo teammates during the Lady Eagles’ win over the National University Lady Bulldogs on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, at San Juan Arena. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
For the past five years, Ateneo has had Denden Lazaro as its defensive anchor.
But with Lazaro, the star libero, already graduated from the UAAP, the Lady Eagles had to find someone to fill the void.
Ateneo didn’t have to look far for Lazaro’s replacement.
Gizelle Tan, who was once a setter in her first three years in the league, has become the team’s starting libero.
“Super big shoes to fill because Denden’s a Best Libero and Best Receiver as well,” Tan said. “Before we didn’t have a hard time because Den was there. Now, I have to fill those shoes.”
Tan said she has slowly eased into her new role as Ateneo’s defensive ace but she never fails to heed the advice of no less than her former teammates Lazaro and Ella de Jesus.
“They do give little tips like ‘stay on the line, stay in the zone,” Tan said of the pointers she’s been getting from Lazaro and De Jesus.
“She (Lazaro) texts like, ‘You can do it.’ Ella also keeps telling me to read the ball.”