MANILA, Philippines — De La Salle University Lady Spikers head coach Ramil De Jesus is all praise for University of Santo Tomas' Sisi Rondina.
De Jesus and the Lady Spikers had to weather Rondina's 28 point explosion in their opening day meeting at the UAAP 80 women's volleyball tournament Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The multi-titled mentor can't help but admire the former UST captain and even compared her with someone he and the Lady Spikers were very familiar with - Alyssa Valdez.
"'Yun ang mabigat, wala kami ng ganon. (Rondina) Kahir papano talagang gusto buhatin 'yung team. Ibang klase," de Jesus said.
"Every year lumalakas 'yung bata kasi nasa character ng player 'yan kung ano gusto niya mangyari sa sarili niya. Before may Alyssa, ngayon siya naman so pinaghahandaan talaga namin."
Rondina's 28 point output was built on 25 attacks, two service aces and a block and was two points shy from tying her career high of 30 points back in Season 78.
But her MVP numbers were all for naught as Filipino-Italian rookie Milena Allesandrini was the only other player to score in double digits for UST with 18.
UST will try to bounce back against the University of the East on Wednesday at the FilOil Flying-V Centre in San Juan.