Why Not Us?

YES!!! | Credit: spin.ph

When Ateneo was about to end its bonfire last 2012, host Gretchen Ho implored the crowd to attend the upcoming women’s volleyball games. The Lady Eagles were optimistic that it could be the year that they are going to finally win it all as they have an experience of reaching the UAAP Finals under their belt. Early that year, they even defeated the defending champion La Salle Lady Spikers for one game in the Finals. Furthermore, star rookie Alyssa Valdez has one year’s worth of experience in the bag.

It was also the last year of Ateneo’s Fab Five (Fille Cainglet, Dzi Gervacio, Jem Ferrer, Gretchen Ho and Carol Nacachi) – the batch that started Ateneo’s prominence in the women’s volleyball scene. It was about time for our women’s volleyball team to finally get over the hump.

Of Love and Technology

Credit: Her

 “Falling in love is a crazy thing to do. It’s kind of like a form of socially acceptable insanity.”

Days after the Academy Awards concluded, I watched the movie “Her.” A lot of people have been raving about it and I felt that it was the kind of movie that would fit perfectly for me. So, I thought it was about time I watch it. OK, I am lying. My buddy Ferdie told me he recently watched it with his wife and was saying it was a philosophical mindfuck. To prevent him from further spoiling the rest of the movie to me (as what most friends would do), I decided to avoid further frustrations and watched it instead. OK, just kidding, Ferdie. The philosophical mindfuck with the addition of knowing that Olivia Wilde, Rooney Mara and Amy Adams were in it was just too good a thing to resist.

I never regretted the decision to watch it.

Heart Strong

Heart Strong | Credit: ABS-CBNNews.com

It was a brief moment of silence. Ateneo Lady Eagles’ star Alyssa Valdez was down on the floor in pain. She was covering her face and was finding it hard to move an inch. The NU Lady Bulldogs were just able to score and add a point to their lead on that tight match. Both teams were tied with one set each. The Ateneo Lady Eagles need to win that match to force a win-or-go-home scenario with NU.

I can still remember that scene. Alyssa was barely moving, while the rest of her teammates drew closer to her. They were trying their best to rally her.

For a moment then, it seemed that Ateneo was in a similar scenario - another Final Four exit. Sure, the Lady Eagles were able to score the first set – something they had a tough time accomplishing against this juggernaut NU squad who outscored them 6-1 on set wins in their elimination round meet-ups. After reaching the Finals for the past two years, it was actually expected that the Ateneo Lady Eagles would miss it this year.