Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Pam Lastimosa and Chloe Cortez played their last collegiate game when University of Santo Tomas lost to defending champion De La Salle 25-14, 25-20, 24-26, 25-13, in the Final Four of the UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball tournament.
Lastimosa and Cortez along with Alex Cabaños saw their tenures as Golden Tigresses come to an end in a bitter defeat in the team’s first Final Four appearance in five years.
For Lastimosa, the UAAP not only helped her as an athlete but also as a person.
“It was a memorable journey, it didn’t make me just a good player but it also molded me into a better person and I learned a lot really,” said Lastimosa at Smart Araneta Coliseum. “I’ve learned things that I can use both as an athlete and as a person.”
“I’m very thankful to those who’ve supported me, from coach Shaq [Delos Santos], coach Odjie [Mamon], and coach Kung Fu [Reyes], they helped me who I am today.”
Of the Golden Tigresses who played in Season 79, only Lastimosa was able to play in two Final Fours since she got an extension after she missed one year to recover from an ACL tear.
Lastimosa was a rookie when UST last entered the Final Four in Season 74 where she was joined by the likes of Judy Caballejo and Maika Ortiz in the lineup.
“Everything happens for a reason, I think the downside was I tore my ACL, but it was a blessing that I was able to come back and play in another Final Four,” said Lastimosa.
For Cortez, her time with UST can be described as versatile.
Cortez never really had a concrete position within the Golden Tigresses as she was utilized to play almost all three frontline positions.
What made Cortez a vital part of the team was her ability to be a solid presence in front of the net.
“I don’t regret anything, I love what I do, and I won’t last five years if I didn’t love what I did,” said Cortez. “I thank all my coaches and my teammates because they not only molded me as a player, but I matured in life thanks to their guidance.”