De Leon grateful to have difference-maker Morado as setter

Ateneo’s Jia Morado. photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

If there’s one teammate Bea De Leon truly loves to be with, it has to be setter and team captain Jia Morado.

De Leon said Morado’s mere presence on the floor assured them they are capable of overcoming a gutsy Far Eastern University.

And they did as the Lady Eagles survived the Lady Tamaraws in five sets, 25-20, 25-22, 17-25, 21-25, 15-8, for their eighth straight win in the UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball tournament at Filoil Flying V Centre.

READ: Meneses, De Leon marvel at Morado’s prowess

“Jia is very important to us,” said De Leon, who finished with 12 points for Ateneo, which improved to a league-best 9-1. “Regardless of the power of each spiker, if your setter doesn’t set you up perfectly nothing will happen.”

“We’ve seen how effective Jia is and I’m just really happy I’m not against her because when we’re training, and when that happens, I don’t know where to go.”

Morado’s numbers against the Lady Tamaraws can stand alone as proof of De Leon’s claims as the Ateneo captain walked away with 39 excellent sets, just one shy of the entire FEU’s line.

READ: Morado: Anyone would want to represent the country

De Leon added that it’s more than Morado’s volleyball skill that earned their admiration.

“Jia helps us a lot because she really keeps us calm and her plays are just amazing,” said De Leon. “As long as you get her the ball, she really finds a way to make something out of it and I’m really happy she’s my setter.”