Espejo powers Ateneo, takes home second MVP trophy

MANILA, Philippines – Super sophomore Marck Espejo carried the Ateneo Blue Eagles to its first ever UAAP men’s volleyball championship and he is getting recognized well for it.

The 18-year old bagged his second straight season Most Valuable Player award on Saturday, March 7 before he powered Ateneo to a sweep of rivals NU Bulldogs to likewise avenge their heartbreaking defeat last season.

Last year’s Rookie of the Year and MVP tallied 93.26 statistical points this season as he also copped the Best Spiker award with a 50.98% attacking success rate.

In the Finals alone, the Sta. Elena High School alumnus normed a whopping 32 points a game, scoring at will despite two to 3 blockers covering him. He posted a season-high 33 points in the title-clinching Game 2.

“Hindi ko naman iniisip yung [points ko],” he said after Ateneo took Game 1. “Basta panalo lang bawat set hanggang sa manalo.” (I don’t think of my points. As long we take every set until we win the game.)

The high-flying 6-foot-3 Espejo, however, did not stick to volleyball all the way.

In his third year in high school, he was a one-time varsity basketball player for his school and played in one tournament. His father wanted him to stick with arguably the country’s most popular sport but having played volleyball since his elementary school days, Espejo decided volleyball was for him.

“Nasimulan ko na kasi yung volleyball,” he explained. “Gusto ng dad ko basketball pero yung mom ko gusto volleyball kasi naglaro din siya nung high school. And interest ko na rin [yung volleyball].”

(I already started with volleyball. My dad wanted basketball but my mom wanted volleyball because she played the sport in high school. And my interest really is in volleyball.)

It turned out well for Ateneo as he led them to the Finals last season and the title this year, sweeping and dethroning last season’s champion and tormentors NU in the process.

“Sabi ni coach hindi kami papayag na matalo kami sa kanila kasi matagal na namin sila pinaghandaan,” Espejo said. (Coach said we won’t let them beat us because we’ve been preparing long and hard for them.)

Ateneo sophomore setter Esmilzo Polvorosa was named Best Setter for the second consecutive season with his 8.08 excellent sets per game. Polvorosa, who will team up with Espejo for 3 more years in the UAAP, also claimed the Finals MVP trophy after he registered 36 excellent sets in Game 2 and 46.5 sets a game in the Finals.

Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas star Mark Alfafara is the Best Scorer once more with his 289 points. He also won the award last year.

National University had graduating Peter Torres crowned Best Blocker with 0.78 blocks a game, and setter Vince Mangulabnan as Best Server with his 0.35 service aces a game.

Adamson University libero Rence Melgar was hailed Best Digger and Best Receiver with 2.47 digs per game, and a 39.93 efficiency in service reception.

The Rookie of the Year honor went to University of the East’s Edward Camposano with his 64.90 statistical points. – Rappler.com