Morado opts out of Lady Eagles

MANILA, Philippines - Have we seen the last of Ateneo’s premier setter Jia Morado in the UAAP? 

This seems to be the case judging by what Morado, who’s still eligible to play one year, declared hours after the Lady Eagles’ setback to back-to-back champ La Salle. 

“After careful thinking, I’m graduating from Ateneo but I have also decided to graduate from the team as well,” said a tearful Morado in her speech to the Ateneo community Saturday night.

“I want to move on to a new chapter in my life. It won’t be easy to understand but it’s been something I’ve been thinking about,” added the fourth-year star.

Ateneo team management, meanwhile, hopes Morado will still reconsider.

“Definitely we’ll talk to her,” said team manager Tony Boy Liao, who gave the Lady Eagles rest for the next two months after the grueling season.

Playing their first campaign since the departure of the phenomenal Alyssa Valdez, the Lady Eagles stepped up to the challenge and emerged No. 1 after the elims, beating rival La Salle twice.

In the finals, however, the Ateneans couldn’t close out Games One and Two after taking a 2-1 set lead, enabling the Lady Spikers to steal glory.

“We’re grateful for the season. Win or lose, we’re grateful because it’s all part of experience,” said Morado, who efficiently set the plays for the likes of Jho Maraguinot, Michelle Morente, Bea de Leon and Kat Tolentino. “You don’t always win, you don’t always lose so in the end, nobody’s upset about what happened.”