Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Eya Laure may have been the “Avenger” the University of Santo Tomas needed to complete what could be its championship puzzle.
UST’s prized rookie was stellar in the Golden Tigresses’ shellacking of De La Salle, 25-14, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19, in the second seed playoff in the UAAP Season 81 women’s volleyball tournament.
Laure, who’s the frontrunner for the league’s Rookie of the Year plum, channeled her inner Captain America when she said what the Golden Tigresses’ mindset is for their first Final Four since Season 79.
“We used ‘whatever it takes’ as our battlecry for this game because we will do whatever it takes for any possibility,” said Laure in Filipino after she put up 17 points against the Lady Spikers.
“We will do whatever we can as a team and no one will falter, no one will give up, and we will fight until the end. Whatever it takes.”
The Golden Tigresses will enter the Final Four with the twice-to-beat advantage, the first time since Season 73 that they carry the perk, and will take on the defending champion Lady Spikers.
UST also has a chance to get its first title since 2010 when it still had Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Rhea Dimaculangan, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, and Jessica Curato.
“Our mindset is to never be complacent because once we relax everything we’ve built will crumble,” said Laure who’s on her first collegiate year. “In order to get our next goal we have to be consistent, don’t be complacent, don’t be relaxed, work hard as a team, and train hard in practice.”
“We’ll do our best, whatever it takes.”