La Salle’s Kim Fajardo and Kim Dy share an emotional moment after the Lady Spikers clinched their second straight UAAP title. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Looking back, Kim Fajardo could only smile knowing that she made a great decision returning for her fifth and final year in La Salle.
“Everything that has happened for me was worth it,” Fajardo said.
Adjudged as the Best Setter anew, Fajardo was able to close out her collegiate career as a back-to-back champion, orchestrating the Lady Spikers’ championship romp with a stellar showing in Game 2 of the Finals.
Fajardo had 43 excellent sets in La Salle’s five-set triumph over Ateneo, 19-25, 25-14, 18-25, 25-18, 15-10, to seal the UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball championship on Saturday.
But more than the conquest, the savvy skipper treasured her final run as a Lady Spiker.
“It feels great. I don’t know how to explain it. I feel so happy because I didn’t feel that I was the oldest in this team,” she said as she tried to hold back tears. “I didn’t feel that I was alone fighting and they all didn’t let me feel that.”
Fajardo also feels pride knowing she helped these batch of Lady Spikers find there niche as she bids the school farewell.
“All I wanted was for them to make names for themselves. I wanted them to play their games. And I’m happy that I was able to play with them and help them perform well, while also them dedicating this final run for me. I’m just really happy,” she said.
As the curtain closes, Fajardo could only reminisce on her great run and the lessons she had learned, especially the motivating words she got from coach Ramil de Jesus.
“Coach always scolds at me,” she said smiling. “I will miss them all because not a lot of people see how hard these kids work. They don’t see how they are off the court. I will really miss them all.”
And same goes for the rest of the Lady Spikers, with de Jesus perfectly encapsulating how the team feels with their graduating captain.
“There’s only one Kim Fajardo,” de Jesus said.