Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Eya was a force to be reckoned with in her maiden year with University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP on her way to being named as the league’s Rookie of the Year in Season 81.
She did that feat, though, as part of a one-two punch that included the mercurial Cherry Rondina, who won the MVP plum in that same year.
When Laure transitioned into the club scene in the Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino Conference her partner, and senior at UST, Rondina was standing on the other side of the net.
Rondina, a seasoned player with Petron, won the first matchup between the two teammates as the Blaze Spikers overcame Foton in five sets, 28-26, 25-27, 25-21, 24-26, 15-12, to take the bronze medal.
Laure said it was a weird feeling going up against Rondina in a match that had utmost pressure regardless of what was at stake.
“When I played against her, there were balls that I just knew would be sent in certain places and the feeling that ‘I should’ve got that one,’ was always there,” said Laure in Filipino Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The personal matchup between the two was onesided with Rondina finishing with 33 points to lead Petron while Laure produced 11.
“It’s just weird to see Ate Sisi on the other side of the court because I’m not used looking at her as an opponent. I’m competing against her because she’s the open spiker of her team and I’m the open in mine. I’m used to see her as my teammate.”
In all fairness to Laure, this was her first conference in the PSL and she acknowledged that she’s nowhere near the level of Rondina, who’s already a champion with the Blaze Spikers.
“This is a different type of environment,” said Laure, who will enter her second year of college in UST. “For me, who’s still playing in college, I can say that I still have a lot to experience and learn.”