Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—It took two years of waiting but Eya Laure is finally heading into the collegiate game.
University of Santo Tomas’ prized rookie was just one of the many student-athletes who had to wait a couple of years before entering the seniors’ division of the UAAP due to the implementation of the K-12 program.
Instead of jumping straight to college, Laure had to go through two more years of high school but the multi-awarded star is headed to the collegiate ranks.
“I will show everyone what’ I’ve worked for and how excited I am to play after two years of waiting because we were hit by the K-12,” said Laure in Filipino during the Golden Tigresses’ Thursday practice at UST’s Quadricentennial Pavilion.
“I’ll finally be able to showcase my game and what I did to improve myself after what UST did in molding me for college.”
Laure is expected to become the team’s starting opposite hitter, which is just one of the positions she’s excelled at in high school.
Not only was Laure a two-time Best Opposite Hitter during her high school days, she was a one-time MVP, a two-time Best Attacker, a one-time Best Setter, and a Rookie of the Year.
Despite playing such a multi-dimensional game, Laure said she’s focused on being the team’s opposite hitter with captains Cherry Rondina and Milena Alessandrini holding on to the open spiker role.
“I’ll still be an opposite hitter but coach [Kung Fu Reyes] told me that I can be a setter or an open spiker in emergency situations,” said Laure.