Rondina driven by desire to win ‘Big Trophy’
The hardest working player of University of Santo Tomas has just one question for her teammates: “Are you with me?”
After drilling in 21 points in UST’s impressive win over Far Eastern University, 25-23, 25-18, 25-23, the 22-year-old Cebuana said she wants the Tigresses to reach new heights.
On her last playing year, the many-time beach volleyball MVP said it’s not enough that UST made the Final Four—its first in three seasons—but more of it being the time for the Tigresses to finally embody their newest battle cry: #KamiNaman.
“My dream is to reach the championship,” said Rondina in Filipino. “So we need to have that mindset. I want to ask the new players, ‘are you with me?’”
There is no doubt Rondina wants it more. She was the top scorer in the UAAP women’s volleyball after the first round with an average of 17.4 points per game, followed by her rookie teammate Eya Laure with 16.7 as Santo Tomas owns the most prolific tandem in the tournament.
But individual milestones no longer concern Rondina. “What I want right now is the big trophy (championship).”
UST last won the championship in Season 72 when it swept the men’s and women’s divisions.
Now after staying in the shadows of Ateneo and La Salle the last decade, the Tigresses are once again in the championship conversation.
“Nothing is impossible if you go all out and do the handwork,” said Rondina.
Presently lodged at third spot, UST can even take the No. 2 spot and a twice-to-beat privilege that comes with it. That’s if it wins its last game, against National University, and La Salle loses its remaining two matches.
At any rate, it’s not going to be a walk in the park for the Tigresses on their way to promise land.
And Rondina is very much aware of it, saying that if all else fails, “I hope they give me a good exit.”
