Rookie Angel Habacon displayed her best game so far, starring in San Beda University's breakthrough win in the NCAA Season 99 women's volleyball tournament on Sunday with her father witnessing her brilliance from the crowd.
The 21-year-old outside hitter flirted with a triple-double outing after churning out a team-high 25 points anchored on 20 attacks, three aces, and two blocks on top of 10 receptions and nine digs as the Lady Red Spikers outlasted San Sebastian, 25-17, 25-23, 22-25, 21-25, 15-10 to improve to 1-2.
This was Habacon's first-ever win in the collegiate ranks and San Beda's maiden victory in the tourney following two early losses, and having her father watch her live for the first time made it even sweeter for the rising star.
"First time ni Papa na manood ngayon. All the way from Bislig, pumunta siya dito para lang manood," Habacon shared to GMA News Online.
"Grabe ‘yung sarap and grabe ‘yung saya, to the point na umiyak po talaga ako. This was my very first win sa NCAA kaya sobrang sarap tapos ang thrilling pa ng match so parang damang-dama mo talaga ‘yung sweetness of victory. Ito pala ‘yung feeling na manalo."
[It was Papa's first time to watch today. All the way from Bislig, he came all this way just to watch... It feels so good and I'm so happy, to the point that I cried. This was my very first NCAA win and it came in a thrilling match so you can really feel the sweetness of victory. So this is what it feels like to win.]
Now that she knows what victory tastes like, Habacon also looked back on her challenging journey prior to her San Beda debut.
Since she was 16, Habacon has been living away from her family as she studied in Cebu in senior high school and Naga in college before she transferred to San Beda in 2022 upon the recommendation of their current team captain Max Tayag, who was her teammate in various small leagues in the province.
She spent a year of residency in San Beda, but initially decided to go back home in Surigao due to the mental challenges of living far from home.
"I was in life crisis po talaga na hindi na po talaga ako babalik dapat sa San Beda at sa volleyball," Habacon shared.
"Pero kinausap nila ‘yung papa ko and nagkaintindihan sila tapos kinonvince ako ng papa ko na dito na lang ako. I'm very grateful sa lahat ng nangyayari sa buhay ko ngayon kasi when I'm on the verge of giving up, God never failed me to connect to volleyball. Volleyball saves my life hundred times talaga."
[I was really in a life crisis, I wasn't planning on coming back to San Beda and to volleyball... But I spoke to my papa and he convinced me to stay here. I'm very grateful for everything that's happened in my life because when I'm on the verge of giving up, God never failed me to connect to volleyball. Volleyball really saves my life a hundred times.]
And all that matters now for Habacon is winning as she looks to bring the Lady Red Spikers to the top.
"Actually, ito po talaga ‘yung sinasabi namin na the moment na makuha namin ‘tong game na ‘to, I hope this will be our momentum to get more wins pa po in the next games," she said.
"Hindi po ako titigil ‘pag hindi ko nakuha ‘yung championship title."
[Actually, this is what we were saying, that the moment we can get this game, I hope this will be our momentum to get more wins in the next games... I won't stop until I'm able to get the championship title.]
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
