By MARK REY MONTEJO
‘Actions speak louder than words’ is a saying that has stood the test of time. It has been used to inspire and fuel one’s drive to go for the ultimate prize. And many of them have succeeded.
Is La Salle on the way to achieving that kind of success?
It’s an intriguing question that is likely to raise many eyebrows, especially the avid fans of the reigning champion National University Lady Bulldogs.
But they can’t do anything either as it is fast shaping up with the way Angel Canino and company are playing right now. They’re like wounded tigers – ferocious and unforgiving.
Using that maxim, the Lady Spikers – led Canino and Shevana Laput — chalked up three dominant wins this early in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball that put them on level with the Lady Bulldogs.
Yes, three consecutive 3-0 shutout wins are enough to convince pundits that the Lady Spikers mean business this time after falling short of their mission the past two seasons. And they want more.
Well, that bad news of sorts for Lady Bulldogs and other title contenders.
“Siguro kasi mas eager kaming tapusin yung season na to na maganda. Hindi lang tapusin ‘yong game na maganda. So I think that’s a big difference,” Canino told Tempo/Manila Bulletin.
“Before kasi medyo more on words and not on actions. Ngayon kasi pinapatunayan talaga namin na kaya din namin talagang sumabay at kayang kaya namin i-dominate ‘yong UAAP,” she added.
Their recent win over University of the Philippines – 25-12, 25-15, 25-19 – was another validation to their new-found confidence having also beaten Far Eastern University and University of Santo Tomas in emphatic fashion.
“Talagang wino-work hard din talaga namin, hindi lang ako pati narin ng buong team” the 5-foot-11 outside hitter added/
“Hindi lang namin sinasabi lahat-lahat ‘yon, kundi ginagawa din talaga namin yung best namin na gawin yung lahat na sinasabi namin,” she added.
That makes them the heay favorites when they go up against long-time rival in the Ateneo Eagles this Sunday, March 1, at the Big Dome.
That will likewise make the match more interesting since the Lady Eagles are out to end a three-game skid.
