ISA Molde earned two Most Valuable Player awards and helped University of the Philippines win its first major volleyball championship in 36 years in one day.
But the selfless star said that everyone from her team is the real MVP after completing an amazing fifth-set comeback in Game Two over FEU that finally ended decades of title drought.
“Bonus lang iniisip ko na bonus lang siya kasi hindi lang naman ako ‘yung naglaro team yun so parang lahat kami MVP,” said Molde, who won the Conference and Finals MVP on Wednesday at the Arena in San Juan City.
“I think same lang naman malaki din siya (para sa akin), confidence (boost) din siya pero hindi ko iniisip na nakakuha ako ng MVP,” she added.
Molde, who averaged 19 points in the title series, helped her team come back from a two-set deficit in the championship opener and catalyzed UP’s amazing fifth-set comeback from a 7-13 deficit, where she nailed three of the eight-point rally of her team to finally bring home the gold.
But she continued to insist that she did it with her teammates.
“Hindi lang naman galing sa amin yun galing yun sa team with the help of the team hindi lang kami,” said the 1st Best Outside Spiker, who finished 22 points including 22 digs and 11 excellent receptions in Game 2.
And the mammoth UP crowd, which never stopped cheering even the Lady Maroons trailed.
“Parang sila yung energy namin kasi ang lakas ng energy nila parang sila yung energizer namin,” she added.
UP head coach Godfrey Okumu and teammate Tots Carlos were extremely proud of Molde for stepping up big time as a leader this season.
“She’s been my MVP since we started playing,” Okumu said.
Carlos, who was sidelined conference due to her stress fracture on her shin, agreed.
“Grabe. Sobrang proud, sobrang nag step up siya eh. Dati di mo naman maiiwasan, andun ako, syempre iniiisip mo oh katulong ko naman si ganito eh. Pero ngayon sobrang nag step up siya,” said Carlos on her batchmate, who won the UAAP Season 78 rookie of the year award.
“Pero lahat nag contribute," she added. "Si Marian (Buitre), sobrang nag imporve din. Si Ayel (Estranero) wala akong masabi. Akala ko nga siya yung mag MVP eh, Finals MVP, so ayun sobrang proud ako sa kanila kasi lahat sila nag step up. Sobrang nag work talaga sila sa training and for the firts time talaga nakita ko na sobrang gusto nila itong panalong ito.”
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