Yesha Noceja focused on delivering Palaro volleyball title for NCR

FILE – National University-Nazareth School’s Yesha Noceja. -UAAP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Determined to bounce back from National University-Nazareth School’s underwhelming finishes in the past tournaments, Yesha Noceja vows to deliver as National Capital Region (NCR) eyes ‘three-peat’ in Palarong Pambansa girls’ volleyball tournament in Marikina.

After ruling the UAAP Season 85 girls’ volleyball, the Lady Bullpups missed the podium of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League and settled for silver in the Luzon cluster 2 pre-qualifying after losing to the California Academy, which is representing Region IV-Calabarzon.

The 17-year-old outside spiker is eager to use those setbacks as motivation in Palaro’s comeback after four years.

“Gusto naming bumawi kasi parang pagkatapos ng Shakey’s bumaba yung morale namin,” she told Inquirer Sports. “Kailangan talagang pagtrabahuan. nillook forward namin na maging mas maayos, mas pulido yung laro namin sa Palaro.”

“Ang iniisip ko lang ngayon makabawi. Naisahan kasi kami. Tuloy tuloy yung (talo) after namin magchampion so eager talaga kami na bumawi,” she added.

Noceja and the NCR squad on Tuesday opened their Palaro campaign with a 21-25, 25-15, 15-25 loss to Western Visayas before bouncing back with a 25-13, 25-17 win over Central Luzon.

FILE – National University-Nazareth School’s Yesha Noceja. -UAAP PHOTO

But the incoming Grade 12 student wants to improve more as NCR seeks to extend its dynasty in girls’ volleyball after ruling the 2018 and 2019 editions.

“Expect po nila na gagalaw ako ng maayos and makakapagperform ako ng dapat iperform ko po kasama na yung team,” she said.

The last time Palarong Pambansa was held NCR was represented by the core of Nazareth School, led by Bella Belen, who is Noceja’s idol.

The same thing happened in the UAAP girls’ last 2019 when Belen and the Lady Bullpups swept the tournament followed by a three-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

SCOUTS WATCHING

Noceja and the current Nazareth squad are seeking to pull off the same run they did in the UAAP to Palarong Pambansa coming from a long hiatus.

“Iniisip namin na hindi namin sasayangin yung naiwang marka ng mga nakaraang ates namin,” she said. “Sabi ng mga coaches namin wag kami magpadala sa [pressure] basta maglaro lang kami, yung ginagawa sa training i-apply lang.”

“Sa tingin ko tutuloy lang namin kung ano yung naging [programa] handa naman kami kahit anong laban. Andiyan naman yung mga coaches to guide us. Hindi kami mababahala, enjoy lang kami.”

The 5-foot-8 spiker, who was discovered by top Manila schools in Palarong Pambansa, is not thinking of the coaches and scouts overseeing the matches in the national tournament as all she wants is to win it all for the Lady Bullpups including her final season in the UAAP high school division.

“Extra na lang sa akin [kung mapansin ng ibang coaches] pero ang totoong iniisip ko yung laro ko mas importante, kung anong ipapakita ko,” Noceja said.

“Pinaka gusto ko magchampion yung team namin tas mapakita ko yung totoong laro ko,”she added.