Ateneo vs La Salle: All or nothing for Valdez, Galang

Alyssa Valdez vs Ara Galang. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

THERE may have been countless times when Ateneo’s Alyssa Valdez and La Salle’s Ara Galang willed their teams to victory.

In the final game of both players’ celebrated five-year collegiate stints, they will try to do the same one more time.

And only one will succeed.

“We were brought here, there’s nothing more we can ask for,” said Valdez, the league’s three-time Most Valuable Player. “You just give your best. Not only your 100 percent, but your 101.”

The Lady Eagles and the Lady Spikers go at it one last time with Valdez and Galang as the two powerhouse squads fight for the title in a winner-take-all Game 3 at 3:30 p.m. today at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“I get goosebumps,” Galang, a former league MVP and Rookie of the Year winner, said after starring in the Lady Spikers’ easy win in the series opener, 25-22, 25-22, 25-21.

“I’m happy and excited that I get to play with my team,” added Galang, who missed a chance to play in last year’s Finals due to injury.

Galang will lead a La Salle squad that has four other graduating standouts, including the popular Mika Reyes.

Valdez knows it won’t be easy even after the Lady Eagles’ incredible Game 2 triumph, where they rallied from two sets down, 18-25, 26-28, 25-17, 25-16, 15-11.

“La Salle has a good system,” said Valdez. “They’re one of the veterans and they have a lot of experience as a team. Definitely La Salle will fight hard. They will not let go of the chance given to them.”

The showdown serves as a tiebreaker as the Lady Eagles and the Lady Spikers split the last four championships between them.

This season, the two fierce rivals also split their four meetings.

“It’s more of mental,” said Valdez as the Lady Eagles shoot for a third straight crown. “La Salle will fight, so we also have to fight back.”