CLINCHING a qualifying round berth was more than just a milestone for Farm Fresh.
It was closure.
For Trisha Tubu, the memory still stings. A year ago, the Foxies rose all the way to a historic top seed in the Reinforced Conference, only to crash out in the knockout quarterfinals at the hands of the same Akari squad.
READ: Farm Fresh snaps Akari's 5-game win run to take qualifying berth
“‘Yung game na ‘yun, ‘yun ‘yung pinakamasakit na game sa lahat ng nilaro ko ever. Minsan lang mag-top, then sa isang iglap, [nawala],” Tubu said.
“Although ‘yun, may plan naman si God.”
This time, the script flipped as Farm Fresh got its payback when it mattered most, taking down Akari, 25-19, 25-14, 23-25, 25-17, to barge into the top four and keep its title hopes alive.
Tubu made sure of it as the rising star poured in 19 points, playing with an urgency that reflected exactly what was at stake.
“Talagang ‘yung eagerness naming makapasok ngayon, unti-unti dahil sabi nga ng mga kasama ko, walang madali. Walang madali sa laban na ‘to,” she said.
“Itong mga susunod na phases ng conference, uunti-untiin namin talaga na hindi lang gugustuhin kundi kukunin namin nang buong-buo.”
‘RiCes’ finally rises
For Ces Molina and Riri Meneses, the breakthrough hit differently.
From standing on podiums with Cignal, the duo was suddenly sidelined by a lengthy legal battle that kept them out of action for nearly 10 months.
It was a long, uncertain wait.
Now, with Farm Fresh finally breaking through, the ‘RiCes’ duo sees this as their reset — and their shot to build something new.
“Sa mga former teams naman namin, alam na namin ‘yung feeling ng nakakapag-podium. Lagi kaming nasa bronze, silver,” Molina said.
“Gusto ko lang ma-share din sa Farm Fresh kasi si Farm Fresh, I think hindi pa siya nakakapasok sa podium. Ito ‘yung parang fresh start talaga.”
Meneses echoed the same hunger.
“Hindi na lang kami ‘yung Farm Fresh na masasabi mong pwedeng instant panalo na ‘yung kalaban,” she said.
“Kaya sa araw-araw, tinatrabaho talaga namin ‘yung para sa sarili namin, ‘yung para sa company talaga na to kasi grabe ‘yung support nila sa amin.”
And if this run turns into something bigger, it would mean everything.
“Masasabi kong ito ‘yung parang pinaka-malaking hugot. Ito ‘yung hinihintay ko rin na maging comeback ko talaga,” Meneses said.
“Very rewarding para sa amin ‘yun, especially kami ni Riri kasi ang tagal namin nawala sa volleyball,” Molina added.
For a team that once watched its breakthrough slip away in an instant, Farm Fresh now has another shot.
This time, it is not letting go.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
