Valdez: La Salle-Ateneo duel a toss-up

MANILA, Philippines - Former Ateneo star Alyssa Valdez sees a toss-up in the blockbuster best-of-three UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball championship series between the Lady Eagles and the La Salle Lady Spikers, which fires off on Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Though the three-time league MVP Valdez expectedly roots for the Katipunan-based squad in the bitter rivals’ sixth consecutive finals face-off, she said that the eventual titlist will not be determined by the team’s statsline but by their heart and desire to win.

“Anything can happen. I believe in my team but we can’t really say what the result would be,” said Valdez, who towed ADMU to back-to-back titles in 2014-15.

“Throw away the stats. It’s a battle of which team has the bigger heart this coming finals,” she said.

Valdez, who will be suiting up for newcomer Creamline in the upcoming Premier Volleyball League, said that La Salle boasts of middle hitters who could adjust to any situation while getting able help from libero Dawn Macandili and opposite spiker Kim Dy expected to provide added firepower.

But Valdez, a vital force in the Lady Eagles side since ADMU and DLSU first locked horns in the finals in 2012 until wrapping up her stint last season, said that for Ateneo to clinch the victory, it has to play as a team, enjoy every moment and pour its heart into the game.

“They have been training so hard twice-a-day and doing all that coach Tai (Bundit) wants them to do. They just have to apply those. They should play as a team, enjoy every moment because being in the finals is a reward already and give all their heart,” said Valdez.