La Salle stays upbeat despite exit of stars

La Salle Lady Spikers. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

EVEN as more teams looked ready to challenge La Salle and Ateneo’s dominance in the next UAAP women’s volleyball season, the newly crowned Lady Spikers think they have the tools to stay on top.

“It’s going to be different without the seniors, but nothing is impossible,” said Finals MVP Kim Kianna Dy, days after the Lady Spikers dethroned the Lady Eagles in a blockbuster, fifth straight title duel.

The league just bid farewell to some of its biggest stars led by La Salle’s Ara Galang and Mika Reyes and Ateneo’s three-time MVP Alyssa Valdez.

And this early, many see the youthful University of the Philippines and Far Eastern University among the likely challengers.

“It’s hard to tell [if there will be another Ateneo-La Salle finals], given the level of competition,” graduating setter Mika Esperanza said in the PSA Forum yesterday at Shakey’s Malate

“Every team is exerting all effort to be in that kind of level.”

The Lady Spikers will also lose to graduation Cyd Demecillo and Carol Cerveza, while Kim Fajardo, this season’s Best Setter, remains undecided if she’ll play out her final year.

“For sure, there will be new players who will step up,” said Reyes.

The Lady Spikers also put their trust on coach Ramil de Jesus, the architect of La Salle’s nine championships.

“On court, people see that he’s very serious,” said Galang. “But outside, he’s like a father to us.”

“As a team, we’re known to be tops in blocking, so we’ll try to maintain that standard,” added Majoy Baron, the league’s Best Blocker. “We’ll do our best to keep the crown.”