In the storied history of De La Salle’s volleyball program, only a handful of entities have managed to live up to the mythos of the Lady Spikers.
Recently, Ateneo became La Salle’s archrivals after fighting over the championship for six straight years since 2012, but even before the Lady Eagles dueled against the Lady Spikers there were Far Eastern University and University of Santo Tomas.
And on Saturday, the start of the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball tournament there was a certain Golden Tigress that La Salle found too difficult to stop and had the Lady Spikers just straight up gave their collective respect.
That person was Cherry Rondina.
Although La Salle ultimately won in five sets, 25-20, 17-25, 25-22, 15-25, 15-8, there was no denying that Rondina terrorized the Lady Spikers for more than two hours.
“Every year she just gets better, the character that kid has is tremendous,” said La Salle head coach Ramil De Jesus in Filipino at Mall of Asia Arena. “Before there was Alyssa [Valdez, who won three MVPs], but now there’s Rondina.”
“We don’t have someone like Rondina, UST has, she will do whatever it takes to lift her team up,” added De Jesus.
Rondina finished the game with 28 points to lead all scorers, a mark that was just two points shy of her career-high.
And if De Jesus’ choice of words were in praise of Rondina, reigning MVP Mary Joy Baron’s statements perfectly exemplified the intimidation UST’s dynamo inspires in the UAAP.
“Rondina has this aggressive style when she hits the ball so it really disrupts our blocking,” said Baron, who had 19 points, in Filipino. “I think all that aggressiveness sometimes takes away our confidence when we prepare for a block.”
Kianna Dy, who started the game watching from La Salle’s bench, ultimately chose a word that once again described Rondina’s volatile style of play.
“Oh my God when I was in the bench I told myself ‘shucks I want to get in [and face her],’” said Dy in Filipino. “And when the game was over I told her ‘you’re a monster.’”
“She’s very aggressive. Backline, frontline, wherever the ball goes she’ll jump for it.”