Okay, so the title is pure sarcasm, which I happen to speak fluently. Deal with it. But honestly speaking, we have trouble when were playing this team. They are a tough team that houses 2 of the leagues top players. Quite frankly they are intimidating to say the least. I don't know what it is exactly. Well I do, but I wont comment on that here. Lets just say I have enough "fans" and they let me HEAR about it every time we play. But this match is always "interesting" for lack of a more positive word. (I think I said this in a previous blog), and this night would not be any different. Split 1-1, this meeting in the semi finals could have gone either way and everyone knew it.Playing the Navy always puts a little knot in my stomach due to our previous history. First time we met, we lost 0-3 in a match I don't believe we played well in at all. And because of certain actions that happened during that game, I've held a grudge ever since. The second time we clashed, two key players from both side went down with injuries. It was a 5 set thriller and some pretty darn good volleyball. But we know how much I love playing 5 sets.
Starting off the match, SSC came out pretty solid. Even though we were trailing, I was proud of us. Navy's Roces was on fire though. Keys 1 & 2 to the game is always to contain Roces and Bautista. They have a solid squad, so we want to force the others to beat us. Its kind of what teams do to Jeng and I. We were able to sustain a pretty nice lead and hold on for the win. Huge for us. But the problems always start when the 2nd set begins. This is where mental toughness comes up huge. Winning the first set is the easy part.
Second set started pretty evenly as well. They inserted Laborte in the line up and we were playing her for the first time since her ankle injury. Play was going on as usual, until Bautista came down on my foot after a tight play at the net. She winced in pain and all i could do was say sorry and wonder if she was okay. No one wants anything like this to happen. Being a fellow athlete who is THE Queen of ankle sprains I can really relate and I know how awful it can be. I severely tore two ligaments in my ankle about 3 years ago, playing in Finland. It was some of the most excruciating initial pain I have ever been in. I was out for a whole month on crutches.
So I know the whole deal. I have severely strained my ankle about 4 times where I have been on crutches and out of whatever sport I was playing at the time. SO I empathize and I wish that pain on no one.
After the match resumed, SSC went on a light run. Things were looking up on our side and I returned to the bench we were up 13-8. I remember, because it marked the beginning of a very long time before I would even return to the court. The Navy went on a treacherous run led my Roces in which she was simply unstoppable. Our side crumbled under pressure. All I could do was look on from the bench. After about 2 timeouts and constant attacks from the Navy, I was sure we had lost this set. The crowd had gone nuts over their run and I'm pretty sure it felt like we were playing in their arena. Finally I was able to enter the game again. This time to cheers, but a ton of boos. lol Anyways, the score was 16-23. No Lie. I'm thinking, what am I gonna do with this kind of deficit. But just like the Navy did not give up, we could not either.
So going back in the game, I knew we needed a run like no other. There was no room for error and we did just that. Combined with great serving from Daphna, and defense from our back row, we begin to climb ourselves out of this whole. We could only come back point, but point. Cant look at it as a 9 point deficit, just point by point. Before I knew it, we had come all the way back to have our first set point of the match. Well of course it didn't end there and there would be many more match points. I actually had to go out and come back in the game before we could finish it and when the last ball dropped on their side the score was 34-32 with us taking the victory. That set lasted 34 minutes. AMAZING volleyball to say the least.
The third and final set we would play was a bit more relaxed as the pressure was not on us any longer. Going up 2-0 after that remarkable set left me speechless. Now all we had to do was close. And now it felt like we were the villains of this league, well at least I felt it. Every time I would enter the game, I heard cheers, but there were still were very poignant boos. WOW! I thought. All that negative energy for little ole me. Yeah it was rude, but its all in the game. No I have not been personally booed like that. Ive been booed being apart of a team as a whole, but never personally just for me, so that was a new one. But really, when I am in the game, I am so focused and in the zone that stuff like that does not really bother me. It motivates me. My father always tells the story of when I played volleyball at Wisconsin and we were facing Illinois in a match. It was a very volatile atmosphere, but I barely remember. Its about focus. So Yes, I get it. For example, I am not the biggest Tom Brady fan. I think I have booed him actually. It happens, but the most important part is how one reacts to it. Ever heard of a guy by the name of Lebron James?
Finishing up the match, it really started to feel like we had accomplished something huge on our side. We cracked and then regrouped. That's what winning teams do, and if we are to be a winning team we have to be able to pick ourselves up and continue to strive for that common goal. One more game and we are in the finals. Focus!
Congrats to Rubie, the One-Armed Magician, De Leon for player of the Game with 52 excellent sets. Rubie was actually became an attacker this match as well. lol She loves hitting and if she digs the ball to me, I will set her. :)
"I'll be a fool to surrender when I know I can be a contender."
Photos are courtesy of Pinoy Spikers and Cesar Bailen Jr.
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