With its first win on the line, San Beda University got an emotional lift from some old friends as the Lady Red Spikers disposed of Emilio Aguinaldo College in four sets to barge into the NCAA Season 97 women's volleyball tournament win column.
According to Trisha Paras, who piloted San Beda's offense, past players such as Cesca Racraquin and Nieza Viray gave them the motivation they needed after they failed to secure a win in their first four games.
"Naging motivation namin is 'yung dating mga teammates namin na laging nagpapaalala sa'min na 'kaya niyo 'yan', 'wag kayo ma-pressure', [at] 'wag niyong pakinggan 'yung sinasabi ng iba'," Paras, who churned out 15 points, shared in the post-game interview.
Racraquin and Viray were vital cogs in the previous campaigns of San Beda after the tandem steered the school to a 6-2 finish in the cancelled Season 95 where they wrapped up sitting in third spot.
But with the two graduating, Paras and San Beda obviously struggled to adjust, losing to College of Saint Benilde, Arellano University, Lyceum of the Philippines University, and Colegio de San Juan de Letran to go 0-4.
On Sunday, though, the Lady Red Spikers turned things around with a 17-25, 27-25, 25-23, 25-23 mastery of the Lady Generals.
According to head coach Nemesio Gavino, the win was definitely a huge boost to their morale while stressing they still believe in the odds of them making the Final Four despite a tough start.
"'Di pa rin [kami] nawawalan ng pagasa kasi marami pa naman 'yung games and then kahit papaano, tumaas 'yung moral ng mga bata para sa susunod naming game ay sana tuloy-tuloy na," Gavino said.
—JMB, GMA News
