La Salle ready to help take load off recovering Fajardo

MANILA, Philippines – The DLSU Lady Spikers are ready to take the load off the shoulders of team captain Kim Fajardo as she recovers from a foot injury ahead of the opening of the UAAP Season 79 volleyball tournament.

Fajardo, who tore her right plantar fascia during a recent practice session, isn’t expected to miss any games. But if she does, incoming fourth-year player Kim Dy said other Lady Spikers are ready to step up to the plate.

“First, if ever hindi siya makalaro (she can’t play), we still have Michelle Cobb or whoever sets for us,” said Dy, the Finals MVP of the previous UAAP women’s volleyball tourney.

Dy however believes that due to Fajardo’s resiliency, she’ll be ready for the team’s opener against FEU on Sunday, February 5.

“I think kaya niya (she can play). Kasi (Because) she’s the type of person na [kahit] may masakit sa kanya, hindi niya papakita (even if she’s injured, she won’t show it).”

If Fajardo is ready to go, the Lady Spikers are aware she may not be in top form right away, and because of that, the girls will do what they can to lighten her workload against the Lady Tamaraws.

DLSU eliminated FEU in last season’s Final Four, but not before the Lady Tams rallied to steal Game 1 of the series and force a do-or-die second match.

“Let’s say ‘pag first game, lalaro na siya, siyempre we know na galing pa siyang injury, so siguro we’ll help her. Receive nang maayos para hindi siya masyadong gumalaw… we’ll do the little things that can help her a lot,” Dy said.

(Let’s say in the first game she plays already, of course we know she’s returning from injury, so we’ll help her out. We need to receive well so she doesn’t need to move much… we’ll do the little things that can help her a lot.)

Dy, who said she’s “excited” for the season to start, believes the defending champions still need to better gel on the court and work on their hitting.

But when asked how close to its peak La Salle is, Dy responded, “I feel like we’re at 90%.” – Rappler.com