Togetherness helps UP overcome La Salle

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—For more than two years, University of the Philippines forays with De La Salle in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament always ended with the Lady Maroons on the losing end.

The Lady Maroons’ last win against the Lady Spikers came in the first round of the Season 79 tournament in a time when Kathy Bersola, Nicole Tiamzon, and Pia Gaiser were the seniors while the likes of Isa Molde, Diana Carlos, Justine Dorog were the up-and-comers.

Well, those two years of futility were finally over after UP stunned De La Salle in five sets, 21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 20-25, 15-12, in Season 81 Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum

READ: UP stuns La Salle in 5 sets

Molde, the star of UP’s win with 20 points, said simply that teamwork made the dream work.

“It’s such a great feeling because you really saw our teamwork and that we had this desire to win the game,” said Molde in Filipino.

Dorog, who scored the game’s final point, said they just had to push through no matter what and no amount of La Salle’s championship pedigree would scare them from reaching their goal.

La Salle rode to a 3-0 start early into the season, but its unbeaten run came to a screeching halt at the hands of the Lady Maroons.

“First win over La Salle? We played together, always together,” said Dorog. “We really can’t hide our happiness right now and during the match we had to fight. We already have the skills, but we had to show our smarts and our heart.”

Molde added that her individual glory during the game was also due to her teammates’ help.

“I think my teammates just helped me a lot in the game,” said Molde. “We played as a team and we badly wanted that win.”

With the victory, UP is now tied with De La Salle at the top of the standings with 3-1 records.