(Editor’s Note: This is the first article in a series dedicated to 2016 throwbacks, a theme currently trending across social media. Only for this series, we will be revisiting defining moments that shaped sports in the year 2016.)
UAAP Season 78 women’s volleyball was never just about who won the championship. It was about closure, transition, and the unmistakable feeling that Philippine collegiate volleyball was standing at a crossroads—closing one of the most iconic chapters in Philippine sports.
La Salle Reclaims the Throne in Season 78
After losing the finals in the last two seasons, the La Salle Lady Spikers returned to the arena with their heads held high and with a healthy Ara Galang back after suffering ACL and MCL injuries the previous season.
With Kim Fajardo orchestrating the offense, the Lady Spikers had the depth to finally reclaim the crown they lost to their archrivals, the Ateneo Lady Eagles. Galang and Cyd Demecillo shared the scoring load in the open hitter position. Majoy Baron and Mika Reyes guarded the net at the middle. Kim Dy blocked the attacks of the Lady Eagles on the opposite side of the net. Dawn Macandili swept the back row.
La Salle’s Season 78 run was its most composed, overwhelming opponents not with flash but with discipline. It was also a memorable comeback for head coach Ramil de Jesus, one of the most legendary coaches in Philippine volleyball.
In Game 1, the Lady Spikers showed their mastery against the Lady Eagles, defeating them in straight sets, 25-22, 25-22, 25-21. In Game 2, the Alyssa Valdez-led Lady Eagles tied the best-of-three series after a hard-fought 18-25, 26-28, 25-17, 25-16, 15-11 victory.
In Game 3, the Lady Spikers found their rhythm, closing the collegiate careers of Galang and Reyes on a high note by reclaiming the crown after a 19-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-16 victory.
Galang, Reyes, Valdez Swan Song
Apart from the girls in green and white reclaiming volleyball supremacy, UAAP Season 78 is also remembered as the collegiate swan song of three of the best volleyball players the Philippines has produced—Ara Galang and Mika Reyes of La Salle, and Alyssa Valdez of Ateneo.
The three athletes didn’t just dominate the UAAP in their five seasons—where they faced each other in the finals each and every time—they also helped transform women’s volleyball into a national spectacle.
Since the trio’s entry into the UAAP in Season 74, crowds grew larger, rallies got louder, and moments became more emotional, even seminal. In Season 78, fans witnessed the final act of a golden generation.
A Rivalry at Its Emotional Peak
Season 78 elevated the Ateneo–La Salle rivalry to something deeper than wins and losses. It became a collision of eras—Ateneo’s recent dominance against La Salle’s championship heritage, superstar culture versus system excellence.
Every finals point felt symbolic. When La Salle finally closed the series, it wasn’t just a championship secured—it was a passing of the torch to a younger generation that could not duplicate the success of the golden batch.
Where Are They Now?
Ten years later, the legacy of Season 78 continues to echo across Philippine volleyball.
Valdez went on to become a cornerstone of the professional game and a longtime member of the Philippine national team, inspiring a new generation of players and fans. Currently, she is still playing for the Creamline Cool Smashers in the PVL.
Reyes remains active in the professional league as well, playing as a middle blocker for the PLDT High Speed Hitters. Galang has also carved out a successful professional career and is known for her consistency, intensity, and championship pedigree. She is now guiding the young teams of Strong Group Athletics.
Season 78 did not merely end an era—it set the foundation for everything that followed.
