MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME
Translated to English, the Spanish word “perdido” means “lost.”
That best describes the season that was for Jonna Perdido, the talented University of Santo Tomas standout who missed last year’s UAAP women’s volleyball tournament due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
She’s back for Season 88 and slowly, she’s showing what the Tigresses missed in last year’s campaign.
“It’s big for me [to play well] because it helps build my confidence slowly,” Perdido told journalists on Saturday, after delivering 10 points—which featured five attacks, three aces and two blocks—in UST’s 25-11, 25-14, 25-14 workout over the University of the East.
For the Tigresses as a whole, the second straight win that finally leveled off their record after falling into a 0-2 (win-loss) start meant that they were slowly getting a grasp of returning coach Shaq Delos Santos’ system.
“[I feel] happy and proud because we are slowly adapting to each other and to what we want to do,” Delos Santos, the last coach to give the women’s program a UAAP crown, said after their wipeout of the Lady Warriors.
“We know we still have much to improve, but at least today, we got a good result,” he added.
For Perdido, there was a personal satisfaction attached to the win, fashioned in front of UST’s ultraloyal community at the school’s Quadricentennial Pavilion.
“I took advantage of playing at home, but the key was to play the way we know we can play as a team,” she said. “And that was the goal and we got the result.”
“I’m an 8 right now out of 10 and I’m happy I got the playing time today,” added the versatile outside hitter, who was touted to be a key performer for last year’s title-seeking squad until her ACL injury sidelined her.
Now she’s back and she is eager to help UST’s stated goal of winning a title this season.
“My mindset was to make sure I play the way I know I can play,” Perdido said. “Now I can double or triple my efforts in the next games.”
With Perdido contributing like she can, UST flaunted its depth and setter Cassie Carballo put it on display with her playmaking, which resulted in Cassie Carballo’s 13 excellent sets.
Angge Poyos led UST with 11 points, while middle blockers Avril Bron and Marga Altea and hitter Reg Jurado added eight each.
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