MANILA, Philippines – Tots Carlos makes sure to always bring her A game for the UP Lady Maroons, and she did against erstwhile undefeated La Salle Lady Spikers.
Carlos showed way as the Lady Maroons ended the Lady Spikers' three-game unbeaten run following a thrilling five-set win in the UAAP Season 81 women's volleyball tournament on Saturday, March 2.
The UP captain rose to the occasion on both ends by finishing with 19 points, 18 excellent receptions, and 17 digs, making her the rightful winner of the Chooks-to-Go Collegiate Press Corps UAAP Player of the Week.
"Mantra ko naman sa sarili ko kailangan ko maglaro lagi ng best ko kasi kailangan ako ng teammates ko, kailangan ako ng team," Carlos said as UP ended La Salle's 14-game winning streak dating back to last season.
(It's my mantra that I want to always be at my best because my teammates need me, my team needs me.)
"Hindi ako puwede mawala lalo na captain ball ako so kailangan talaga namin magtulungan (I can't afford to not show up, especially that I'm the captain and we need to help each other out)."
Carlos bested La Salle's Jolina Dela Cruz, Ateneo's Kat Tolentino, UE's Judith Abil, FEU's Celine Domingo, and Adamson's Bern Flora for the weekly plum given by beat writers from broadsheets, tabloids, and sports websites.
Becoming the second UP player to win the weekly honors this season after teammate Isa Molde, the 20-year-old spiker also emerged as the league's top scorer with an average 17.8 points in the first 4 games.
In the process, Carlos helped UP force a three-way logjam with La Salle and Ateneo at the top of the standings with identical 3-1 records.
But Carlos dished some of the credits to her fellow Lady Maroons for beating the Lady Spikers for the first time since Season 79, back when she was still a sophomore under former coach Jerry Yee.
"'Yung will lang talaga naming manalo – 'yun parang naging bala namin. Gusto naming matalo 'yung La Salle, gusto naming manalo sa league na 'to, gusto naming mag-champion, gusto naming mag-finals," she said.
(Our will to win – that became our edge. We want to beat La Salle, we want to win in this league, we want to win the championship, we want to make it to the finals.)
Although it was UP's biggest win of the season, Carlos wants the Lady Maroons to shift their focus to their remaining games since their title quest still has a long way to go.
"Tapos na 'to, so kailangan na naming mag-focus agad sa next game namin. Hindi na namin 'to iisipin kasi okay, one down," Carlos said. "Next game naman, then next round, kung paano ulit sila tatalunin."
(This win's already in the past, so we need to focus on our next game. We shouldn't be thinking about this win. What we should be thinking of is the next game, and the next round, and find a way to beat La Salle again.) – Rappler.com
