BY John Miles Arcenal
ELEVEN seasons apart, two Ateneo captains met at the net - one as the icon who inspired, the other as the player who followed in her idol's footsteps.
When Lyann De Guzman lined up across Alyssa Valdez, the inspiration of her volleyball career, it felt like the kind of moment that makes every long and hard training day worth it.
Before she wore Nxled's green-and-black in pros and represented Ateneo in college, De Guzman was just another young fan watching Valdez light up the court.
“Simula nung bata pa ako, nung high school, siya na talaga yung nilu-look up ko sa volleyball,” she shared. “Na-starstruck ako kasi first time ko siyang makalaro sa ganitong league, sobrang excited ako maglaro talaga.”
And as she finally made good on the golden opportunity to face her idol in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference, the 5-foot-10 outside spiker spiker made it count, pouring in nine points, along with 11 excellent digs and nine receptions.
While the result didn’t go the Chameleons' way, the moment itself was one she won’t forget.
“Parang motivation na ipakita sa idol mo na kaya mo rin,” she said. “May mga lapses, but I’m happy with my performance today.”
It’s easy to see why the meeting carried so much meaning. Both De Guzman and Valdez walked the same halls in Katipunan, both served as team captains for the Blue Eagles at different points in time.
Valdez became a three-time MVP and led Ateneo to two UAAP championships, while De Guzman was part of the Blue Eagles’ much-needed refresh during her time.
But despite their different journeys, they share the same lessons learned from donning the blue-and-white.
“Yung natutunan ko lang talaga sa Ateneo, kahit anong mangyari, laban lang talaga nang laban,” De Guzman reflected.
One Big Fight all the way to the pros
For her part, Valdez said facing players who grew up watching her is both humbling and inspiring.
As the 'Phenom' put it, “I think it’s impressive. I’ve never thought na makakalaro ko pa yung mga ganitong batches. I’m just so grateful na I’m still able to play and, honestly, nagiging inspirasyon ko na rin sila ngayon.”
After more than a decade in the sport, the Creamline captain knows her impact reaches beyond wins and championships.
“Aside from nakakataba ng puso, I think it’s more of pressure to actually perform at this level, at this point in my career,” she admitted after finishing with four points in the win. “But that fuels me to keep going in this community.”
And she has nothing but praise for De Guzman - her fellow Atenean and now, worthy rival.
“You can really see na she’s there for her teammates. Grabe siya as a teammate, binibigay niya lahat every single time,” she said. “She’ll give her all for the team and for the love of the sport.”
From idol to opponent, from fan to fellow captain, De Guzman’s journey is a reminder that dreams don’t just come true - sometimes, they meet you right at the net.
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