AFTER peaking to as high as second in the UAAP Season 88 standings, Far Eastern University’s late-season slide obviously hampered its playoff push.
With one match left in its ledger for the eliminations, the Lady Tamaraws found themselves in a must-win situation against an also-ran yet still dangerous Ateneo on Wednesday.
“Parang kahit may hope o wala, dapat mapanalo namin yung game,” stalwart setter Tin Ubaldo told SPIN.ph about the attitude ahead of the match. “'Di lang dapat namin siya ipanalo kasi may hope, 'di ba? Dapat kahit anong sitwasyon kami, yung goal namin is manalo pa rin.”
Win they did, but that wasn't the end of it just yet. They then had to cheer on National U in its later match opposite University of Santo Tomas, as a victory for the latter would mean the close of their campaign.
Fortunately for FEU again, the Lady Bulldogs gave them an unintentional assist.
READ: NU secures second seed thanks to furious fightback against UST
And now, the green-and-gold has a foot inside the playoff door. Not only that, it also earned an extension to its veteran playmaker's swan song.
Ahead of another do-or-die match on Saturday, and given all she went through in her five seasons in Morayta, Ubaldo had just one hope for herself and the Lady Tams.
“Puso lang talaga,” she emphasized. “Tuwing nagpe-pep talk kami, yung pinag-uusapan lang namin is kung sinong may gusto, sinong mas eager, sinong may grit, siya talaga. Pupusuan lang namin, bibigay lang namin yung best namin.”
“Tapos kahit hindi pa nila (other teammates) as if it's their last, parang i-mindset nila na as if last game na talaga.”
Tin is in
That iron will has to come to the fore once more for Ubaldo herself, as their all-important triumph came with her continuing to deal with lingering hamstring and calf pains.
With much thanks to her heart, however, she still contributed in FEU's reverse sweep with 22 excellent sets on top of three points, as well as her unyielding leadership.
“Bukod sa umayos yung team namin, na-boost ko rin siguro partially yung morale nila. Na-inspire ko rin sila kahit papano through words and actions,” she said.
Still, Ubaldo is far from full strength, meaning she will have to continue to 'Be Brave' - which aside from being the Lady Tamaraws' signature battlecry, became her biggest lesson throughout her career.
“Sa UAAP, talagang patibayan ng dibdib pati utak. Kaya yung na-reflect ko talaga, kung sino talagang pinakamatibay mentally and emotionally, siya talaga yung mananalo," she said.
"Siyempre, bonus na lang yung skills, kasi lahat naman nagte-training, pero kung sino yung matapang o sino mas may gusto, siya talaga."
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