Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
College of St. Benilde may no longer be a champion, but Lady Blazers head coach Michael Cariño believes that identity will still linger with the team,
CSB saw its bid for a repeat come to an end after being overthrown by Arellano in five sets in the stepladder phase of the NCAA Season 92 women’s volleyball tournament.
“It boosted my morale and I even got excited to know that I still have players that will fight until the end even though my seniors (Jeanette) Panaga and (Chelsea) Santillan are set to leave the team,” said Cariño on Friday at San Juan Arena.
Benilde finished the eliminations as the No. 3 team with a 6-3 slate, and a repeat performance seemed bleak, but Cariño knew their championship experience from a year before was still with them.
Cariño may say that the identity was still with the team but one major figure wasn’t with them in Season 92 as former captain Djanel Cheng left the team due to graduation.
“We carried the fact that we were the champions a year before and that’s what pushed us this far,” said Cariño.
“We may not have finished the season the way we wanted but what my players show was a thing of beauty. I don’t care if we lose or win, what’s important is we gave it our best.”