La Salle veteran Mary Joy Baron eager to meet expectations

MANILA, Philippines — There are certain expectations that come with being one of the veterans on a team, and Mary Joy Baron is eager to meet them.

Baron, who is in her third playing year but already a senior in college, did not need any reminders as she took it upon herself to train hard in the offseason in anticipation of UAAP Season 78, where she will be one of the main gunners for the De La Salle Lady Spikers. 

“I just thought since I’m a fourth year student already I really need to step up,” Baron said in Filipino following La Salle’s 4-set win over the UP Lady Maroons Saturday, February 6.

“I work hard during trainings and for this game all the hardwork I put in came out.”

The 5-foot-11 middle hitter led the Lady Spikers with a career-high 17 points built on 12 kills and 4 blocks as she and La Salle dominated the net against UP’s smaller lineup.

“I think our fast play became our advantage,” Baron pointed out. “I’m taller than UP’s middle so our play became more effective. Kim (Fajardo) just maximized my position.”

Baron, who graduated from Baguio City National High School but was not lined up with the team during her first year in La Salle, steadily started her transition from second stringer last season to full-on starter this year.

She shared that head coach Ramil De Jesus did not tell her specifically to step up her game this season, but she wanted to do it anyway.

“It’s automatic that my mindset is to step up,” said Baron, who plans on taking up graduate studies to continue playing out her last two years. “I have the resources to improve. I have really great teammates who play the middle so they push me, too.”

“Joy had a good performance today and that’s what I expected of her to show in this game,” De Jesus praised Baron, whose timely hits helped La Salle avert a meltdown after leading 2 sets to none and dropping the third set. “It comes with being a senior on the team.” 

It also helped that everything aligned for Baron heading into Saturday’s game as the Lady Spikers picked up their second win of the season. 

“Today I had good conditioning, I woke up good, and my preparations were good,” shared Baron, who has two UAAP Finals appearances under her belt and is playing with the mindset of focusing hard every game and giving her best always.

“What I have been preparing for in almost a year finally paid off now,” she said. “I was still adjusting a little bit in the first game.” — Rappler.com