MANILA, Philippines – There are few things worse than watching your teammates make it or break it, and you simply watching from the sidelines.
At least, that’s how the UP Lady Maroon’s Kathy Bersola sees it.
The 5-foot-10 middle hitter sat helplessly on a chair with a crutch by her side as the still undefeated Ateneo Lady Eagles swept a sliding Lady Maroons, 25-18, 25-18, 25-18, in the UAAP Season 77 women’s volleyball tournament on Saturday, January 31.
It was a far different scenario in this second round clash compared to the first, where UP gave the defending champions a scare by being the first team to push them to a 5-setter this season. And Bersola could not help but feel frustrated as her team failed to finish each set strong on Saturday.
“Sobrang frustrating, kasi nandiyan lang ako nanonood lang ako tapos seeing them play, and losing,” she told Rappler. “Sobrang frustrated ako and gusto ko talaga tumulong. Nandiyan ka lang pero hindi ka nakakatulong.”
(It’s very frustrating, because I’m just there watching and seeing them play, and losing. I’m very frustrated and I really want to help. I’m just there but unable to do anything.)
“You’d give anything to play right now, but your anything is not enough. Sobrang gusto ko talaga pumasok sa loob,” lamented last season’s Best Blocker. (I really wanted to enter the court.)
Bersola, 18, was ruled out for the remainder of the season after her left knee suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury at the end of the first round. She said she needs at least 6 months to recover. UP sorely missed Bersola’s 12 points a game and the net defense she provided.
After a 3-11 record and a 7th place finish in Season 76, this season’s goal for UP was to aim higher and boost their confidence level with each small victory on the court. Right now they’re at 4-6 and in a 4-way tie for fourth place with FEU, NU, and Adamson.
The Final Four dream is alive.
“I felt really devastated,” the third year Bersola recalled how she felt in the days following her injury. “Ang ganda na kasi ng start tapos nakikita ko talaga na may chance kami makapasok ng Final Four. And then imagining the team going there without me, living the dream without me, I want to be there with them. But there’s nothing I can do.” (We had a really good start and I saw a real chance for us to enter the Final Four.)