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From left: Jolina dela Cruz, Fifi Sharma and Kim Kianna Dy
(Philstar.com / Ralph Villanueva)
MANILA, Philippines — Sticking to the game plan and listening to head coach Ramil de Jesus will be the keys for the La Salle to bring home the championship back to Taft Avenue, former Lady Spikers Kim Dy, Jolina dela Cruz and Fifi Sharma said.
This weekend, the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament will tip off, with La Salle trying to dethrone the National University Lady Bulldogs in a best-of-three matchup.
The last time La Salle won the championship was back in Season 85, when they defeated NU in two sets. That season, Sharma and dela Cruz were part of the team.
Speaking at the sidelines of the Watsons Summer Fun meet and greet event at SM Megamall Thursday evening, Dy, dela Cruz and Sharma reminded the team to stick to the team’s game plan.
“Remember who they are. Sino yung coach nila. Sino yung mga dumaan kay Coach Ramil, and I know naman yung iba dyan, napagdaanan na rin kung paano mag-champion. Lagi nilang tatandaan na yung sistema ni Coach Ramil sobrang ganda and wag nilang sasayangin yun,” dela Cruz told reporters.
“Hopefully, ayun nga, makuha nila Game 1 and Game 2. Pero yun, ang hirap yung kalaban ng NU. Let's pray na sana makuha ni La Salle,” she added.
This was echoed by Sharma, saying the team should “just play their game.”
“Stick to the level of their training and just do their best because this is the UAAP Finals. So it really demands the best of you. So I guess for them, just play their game,” she said.
“If they've been training as hard as they say they are, then they're gonna win regardless. We just have to prepare mentally and physically.”
Dy, for her part, stressed that NU is a very strong team, just like La Salle.
“[The Lady Spikers] just have to give their all. They have to work as a team and listen to Coach Ramil.”
The Lady Bulldogs swept their season series with La Salle, winning both matchups in the first and second rounds.
But La Salle is now peaking at the right time, winning back-to-back matches against last season’s finalists University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses to punch a ticket to the championship round.
The finals will kick off this Sunday, 5 p.m., at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
