Graduating NU senior Joshua Retamar savored a victory as sweet as honey as the Bulldogs clinched a spot in their ninth consecutive UAAP men’s volleyball finals, eyeing their sixth championship title.
Making it much more special, however, for Retamar is how their finals-clinching victory took place one day before his college graduation from NU.
The reigning Finals MVP is set to complete his undergraduate degree in Financial Management before heading into battle one last time for championship gold in his UAAP swan song.
Such a motivation on top of his ‘refuse to lose’ mentality has propelled him and the Bulldogs to yet another memorable campaign that is now two wins away from unrivaled glory.
“Ako kasi, ako ‘yung player na ayokong natatalo kaya bawat game talaga sa akin, importante lalo na’t ngayon na final year ko na tapos graduation ko pa bukas,” said Retamar.
“Kailangang maganda ‘yung araw namin kaya trinabaho namin ni Nico (Almendras) na dalhin namin sila (‘yung team). Sila pa nga ‘yung nag-angat sa’min, ‘yung mga (younger players) namin kaya maganda ‘yung kinalabasan,” he added.
Retamar will soon be riding into the sunset of what has been a decorated UAAP career with his fellow national team mainstay Nico Almendras.
And as the old saying goes when it comes to reaching success at any level in any sport, Retamar and Almendras hope that teamwork will make the dream work for the senior duo one last time as collegiate hotshots.
'Teamwork is the key'
“‘Di pa namin alam kung (sinong) makakalaban namin, so kung sinuman manalo (between UST or FEU), paghahandaan pa rin namin ‘yung makakalaro namin sa kanila.”
Retamar added: “Pinaka-importante sa’min ‘yung teamwork namin kasi sa game namin ngayon (versus La Salle), andami naming chance na maangat ‘yung bola tapos na-sscore pa rin kaya pagbubutihan pa namin.”
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