Cherry Rondina. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—It’s all or nothing for Cherry Rondina in her final year with University of Santo Tomas.
Rondina, a strong candidate for the MVP, is headed to her second and last Final Four in hopes of obtaining ending her collegiate career with a women’s volleyball crown.
A four-time UAAP beach volleyball champion, Rondina has yet to win the championship in the indoor circuit but with UST carrying a twice-to-beat advantage against De La Salle in the finals she believes the Golden Tigresses can go all the way.
Rondina said it’s not just skills that would take them to the title but the trust she shares with her teammates.
“I always said that I would be the one to lead my teammates and I will do everything to lift my team up,” said Rondina in Filipino after UST blew past the Lady Spikers, 25-14, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19 in the second seed playoff. “I know that they’re always behind me.”
Rondina, who was Season 80’s Best Scorer, finished with 29 points against the Lady Spikers and could very well become the league’s MVP after topping the points ladder with a total of 259 across the 14 games of the elimination round.
UST’s trip to the Final Four this season is the first time in nearly a decade where it carries the twice-to-beat perk.
With the finals berth within reach, the fiery outside spiker vowed to make good on that promise.
“Coach told me when I was in my fourth year that what he wants for the team is for it to be in the finals and I told him that we will help each other,” said Rondina. “He texted me before we went here that every time I go to a game that we should win and believe that we can do it.”
“The league’s not over yet and we will still work hard for this.”