A test of skills and trust. That’s how Benilde Lady Blazers standout Zam Nolasco described the defending champs’ grueling five-set win against the Mapua Lady Cardinals on Friday in the opening of the NCAA Season 101 Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
Early Character Test for the Defending Champions
The Lady Blazers are aiming to clinch a historic five-peat in the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament.
But that lofty goal might be more challenging than expected. In fact, playing against the retooled Lady Cardinals already proved to be a true test for Benilde, as there were moments when the team couldn’t figure out Mapua.
“Parang doon po talaga na-test yung patience namin sa isa’t isa and ganun din po si Coach [Jerry Yee]. Like nire-remind niya kami kung ano yung dapat na target namin kase na bla-blanko na po kase kami eh so nandoon po siya para iremind sa game plan namin.”
Benilde found itself trailing 12–6 in the deciding set before mounting a brief surge, scoring three straight points to close the gap. Mapua halted the momentum with a point from Angelick Gavika, but Zam Nolasco, the Best Middle Blocker of Season 100, answered with a timely block to once again pull the Lady Blazers closer.
“Tapos yung five-set po na yun parang na-test din po talaga ‘yung skills and ‘yung pagkapit namin sa isa’t isa.”
The ladies in green and white had to rely on Nolasco a lot in their very first match of Season 101, and she responded by firing a career-high 29 markers.
Zam Nolasco Says Target on Benilde’s Backs
Winners of the previous four tournaments, the Lady Blazers will surely get every team’s best shot this season. Nolasco herself admitted that in every game Benilde plays, it feels like there’s a target on their backs, as teams are eager to beat them.
“Sobrang challenging niya po kase knowing na ‘yung ibang teams po talagang naghahanda para makalaban po kami and matalo po kami,” said Nolasco, who will be taking on a bigger leadership role this season, with Mycah Go already moving on from the NCAA.
Back in Season 100, the Lady Blazers ended the elimination round at 16-2. Then, in the semifinals, Mapua gave them problems, as the Lady Cardinals took one game before getting eliminated. In the finals, Benilde swept the Letran Lady Knights for its fourth straight crown.
“Siguro ang gagawin lang po namin mas titibayan pa namin sa loob ng court, sa game, and sa every game na lalaruin namin,” Zam Nolasco added. “And ayun po ipapakita lang po namin yung makakaya po namin.”
A Superteam Unless Proven Otherwise
Despite the departure of reigning league MVP and Finals MVP Mycah Go, the Lady Blazers are still the team to beat unless proven otherwise.
One reason Benilde remains a contender is Zam Nolasco, who is arguably among the top players in collegiate volleyball today. The Lady Blazers also added Camila Bartolome, a two-time Palarong Pambansa gold medalist who fired 16 points in her league debut on Friday. The Lady Blazers’ supporting cast, headlined by the Lleses twins, Shekaina and Shahanna, is solid as well, with the twins adding 10 apiece against Mapua.
Needless to say, the Lady Blazers are still the standard this season. But every team will be going after them.
