Angel Canino cheekily smiles at her opponents during Game 1 of the UAAP women’s volleyball finals. –UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Angel Canino says the exchange of on-court antics between La Salle and National University is part of the game as they pulled off a come-from-behind five-set win in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Canino not only traded spikes with Bella Belen but also intense staredowns with the rookie getting the last laugh as the Lady Spikers completed a come-from-behind 18-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 15-13 victory over the Lady Bulldogs to draw first blood in front of 10,995 fans at the Big Dome.
“It’s part of the game naman, as usual. Kung ano yung nakikita niyo sa loob, laro lang yun. Sa labas, magkaibigan po kaming lahat,” Canino, who finished with 21 points.
(It’s part of the game as usual. Whatever you see inside the court, it’s just a game. Outside we’re all friends.)
Canino powered La Salle’s comeback, nailing the big hits in the deciding set.
“Sinasabi ko lang sa sarili ko na ilabas mo lang yung pwede mo pang ilabas kasi wala na eh, andito na. Ito na yung totoong laban kagaya nga po ng sinasabi ng coaches,” she said. “Humihingi ako ng guidance tapos ng strength sa taas kasi alam ko naman na pag andiyan siya, lakas ng loob kaya ko.”
(I was telling myself to bring out my best because we’re already here. As our coaches say, this is the real battle. I also asked for guidance and strength from above because I know He is there and I know that I can.)
Bella Belen and Angel Canino. –UAAP PHOTO
The 19-year-old outside spiker enjoyed the atmosphere of her first UAAP Finals game.
“I’m happy with this experience because this is a big opportunity for me to play in the finals and unleash what we can unleash,” she said in Filipino. “There is a pressure but we have to shrug off the pressure from external and internal.”
Canino said it was an emotional win for La Salle, which inched closer to ending its five-year UAAP title drought.
“It was an emotional win for us because we’ve been working hard every day towards our goal to win in the finals and we finally won here in Finals Game 1,” she said. “But we won’t stop because we still have another game.”
La Salle will have one week before trying to end the series in Game 2 on Sunday next week at Mall of Asia Arena.