ARELLANO University needed two big hitters to solve the riddle against Colegio de San Juan de Letran in the NCAA Season 100 volleyball tournament.
With a few games left before the first round ends, rookie Sam Tiratira and sophomore Jan Will Sinuto delivered key contributions to help Arellano bounce back and regain momentum in the women’s and men’s side of the league, respectively.
Tiratira’s and Sinuto’s superb performances proved to be enough to earn the Collegiate Press Corps NCAA Players of the Week, presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, nod for the dates March 20 to 22.
“Ngayong game po no pressure and gagalawlangpo kami nangsa’minlang,” said Tiratira, who steered the Lady Chiefs to a 25-20, 22-25, 25-23, 25-20 stunner over erstwhile undefeated Colegio de San Juan de Letrán.
The 5-foot-11 middle blocker unleashed 16 points built on 12 attacks and four blocks, complementing the 19-point output of LaikaTudlasan for the Obet Javier-guided team, which now holds a 3-3 slate at sixth spot.
It was a huge victory for the Lady Chiefs, who came from back-to-back losses, knowingly the Lady Knights were fresh from their fifth straight win prior to their game.
According to Tiratira, a fan of collegiate-stars-turned-pros Alyssa Valdez and Bea De Leon, familiarity was also a key in Arellano’s upset triumph over Letran at JRU Gym.
“Nakalabankonapo before ‘yongLetran, then parangngayon as a rookie po may pressure po, so ngayontinanggalkolangpotalaga,” continued Tiratira, a third-year financial management student.
Not bad for Tiratira, who just started to play volleyball in high school in Morong, Rizal, and waited for two years before she could suit up for the Lady Chiefs.“Worth it potalaga, kahitlagipoakonagrereklamo, worth it lahatpo.”
For the weekly plum backed by World Balance and Discovery Suites, Tiratira bested Letran’sJudielNitura, Perpetual’s Jem Menor and her teammate LaikaTudlasan.
Meanwhile, Sinuto, playing off the bench, unleashed timely hits that ultimately boosted the Arellano Chiefs to a 19-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-21 victory over the Letran Knights.
