Maraguinot’s return not enough as Ateneo drops Game 1

Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Coming from a stress fracture injury in her left calf, Jho Maraguinot was overjoyed to see action once again for Ateneo for the first time in nearly four months.

“Super happy ako na finally, I got the chance to play kasi sobrang tagal ko ng naghihintay for this,” she said.

But the third-year open hitter didn’t quite get the grand return she envisioned as the Lady Eagles fell to National University, 25-21, 19-25, 23-25, 25-18, 18-16, in Game 1 of the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Collegiate Conference Finals on Monday.

Maraguinot played in the crucial stages of the game, even providing the boost for Ateneo in the fifth set as she finished with nine points.

But that’s really all she could contribute, as the Lady Eagles crumbled in the end.

Still, it was a bit of a moral victory for Maraguinot as she contributed to the team’s campaign this conference.

“Sabi ko naman before pa magsimula ang season na kailangan kong makagawa ng paraan para makatulong sa team,” she said.

Maraguinot admits she’s still far from being 100 percent, but that won’t stop her from giving her all for the blue side.

“Mahina pa yung katawan ko ngayon. Yun yung kailangan ko pagtrabahuhan. Kailangan ko makasabay sa kanila kasi sobrang iwan na ako sa kanila in terms of conditioning,” she said. “Pero kahit gaano akong kahina, gagawin ko pa rin ang lahat for them.”

And she still has her full belief that the Lady Eagles can make an adjustment come Game 2 on Wednesday as they brace for Jaja Santiago and the Lady Bulldogs anew.

“Feeling ko nataranta kami. Sobrang laking factor ni Jaja kapag na nasa harap siya. Kailangan talaga mag-focus ka sa kanya to the point na makakalimutan mo yung ibang players, pero yung ibang players yung gumawa noong huli. Nakalimutan namin na hindi lang si Jaja yung nandoon,” she said.

“But we’ll keep on fighting. Kapit lang kasi naka-ilang do-or-die na kami and we know what we need to do.”