Recovering Isa Molde plays sparingly in UP loss to FEU

Isa Molde. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Isa Molde returned after missing one game due to an ankle injury but the University of the Philippines’ star spiker said she’s still taking it easy in fear of risking another sprain.

Season 78’s Rookie of the Year was used sparingly in UP’s four-set loss to Far Eastern University, 25-21, 19-25, 25-23, 25-22, Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum and she knows that she can’t go back to her usual self just yet.

Molde has no problem playing a reduced role for now as she only appeared as a substitute in the first and fourth sets, since she knows her left ankle hasn’t fully healed.

“The coaches are making sure that I should be a hundred percent because if my ankle’s not okay then there might be muscles that could tear apart if I force it,” said Molde in Filipino.

Molde sprained her left ankle after landing awkwardly against Ateneo on March 30 and she was forced to sit the Lady Maroons’ next match against University of the East on Wednesday.

She admitted there’s still a little bit of pain in her left ankle and she did walk out of Smart Araneta Coliseum with some sort of limp.

UP head coach Godfrey Okumu said Molde could still play against University of Santo Tomas on Wednesday but he still has to follow what the physicians tell him.

“She’s still out and we’re hoping that she might have time to play on Wednesday if everything goes well,” said Okumu. “We have to listen to our physical therapists, I’m not a doctor so I can’t say if she will play or not.”