There was something that helped pull Motolite-Ateneo out of its funk after losing the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference championship series to powerhouse Creamline.
The Lady Eagles had already achieved what they had set out to do in the first place.
Motolite-Ateneo was using the tournament as preparation for the UAAP women’s volleyball wars and coach Oliver Almadro kept reminding
his players that it wasn’t the results that mattered, but the learning they drew from playing against tough club teams.
And one of those lessons was to keep fighting regardless of the hurdles facing the squad.
“I told the players, ‘Let’s not give up even if the odds are against us. We should never give up,’” said Almadro.
That philosophy guided Motolite-Ateneo to several huge wins in the tournament, including in the semifinals where the Lady Eagles thwarted a more experienced BanKo-Perlas.
But the Lady Eagles simply ran out of ammunition against the Cool Smashers, who were led by the ultra-talented Alyssa Valdez.
Almadro and the Lady Eagles are now setting their sights on the UAAP, where they should be among the favorites after their stint in the PVL.