Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/nation2/05/01/050116_alyssa.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Ateneo&#x27;s Alyssa Valdez hugs teammate Mae Tajima. Richard Esguerra, <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/volleyball/photos">ABS-CBN Sports</a></div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – Alyssa Valdez may have ended her legendary UAAP career on a losing note, but no one can deny that the Ateneo de Manila University superstar has left an indelible legacy on her team, her school, the league, and the sport of volleyball in general.Valdez, dubbed the &quot;Phenom&quot; of Ateneo volleyball, put on one last show on Saturday, scoring 31 points in a losing effort in the do-or-die Game 3 of the UAAP Season 78 Finals against De La Salle University.A spectacular start led to a sputtering finish for the Lady Eagles, however, as they squandered a one-set advantage and lost in four, 25-19, 21-25, 16-25, 16-25, to cede their crown to the Lady Spikers, whom they have played in the past five Finals series.(READ: <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/news/2016/04/30/lady-spikers-complete-3-year-journey-title-9-11034">Lady Spikers complete 3-year journey with title No. 9</a>)Through her tears, Valdez made her final rounds at the Araneta Coliseum court. She hugged her high school teammate turned La Salle setter, Kim Fajardo, as well as La Salle head coach, Ramil de Jesus.She also embraced her former teammate, Denden Lazaro, and Ateneo courtside reporter Laura Lehmann.She then went around the court, applauding and blowing kisses to the 22,848 fans who came to watch her go to work for the final time in an Ateneo uniform.The fans – clad in blue and green – rose and met her with thunderous applause.<div>Phenom Day</div>Ateneo fans had dubbed Saturday, April 30, as &quot;Phenom Day,&quot; to celebrate Valdez&#x27;s remarkable accomplishments in the UAAP, and hopefully, another volleyball championship. They managed one but not the other, as the Lady Spikers simply proved to be the better team on the final day of the tournament.&quot;Congratulations to the De La Salle Lady Spikers,&quot; Valdez said. &quot;They really played well today. They really played as a team, and they&#x27;re really strong.&quot;For Lazaro, who won two titles with Valdez in Seasons 76 and 77, her sadness stems from the knowledge that she can no longer watch her good friend play for the Lady Eagles in the UAAP.&quot;But then,&quot; she added, &quot;Although hindi siya nanalo in her last year, I think fitting pa rin naman &#x27;yung end.&quot;&quot;I think, na-enjoy pa rin naman niya kahit papaano. And knowing Alyssa, &#x27;di naman s&#x27;ya nag-give up &#x27;til the end. Andoon pa rin &#x27;yung fighting spirit. Makikita mo pa rin sa mata niya na she wants to give Ateneo and La Salle a good fight,&quot; she added.Indeed, as they received their silver medals, Valdez made sure to tell her teammates to smile and celebrate. A few hours after the loss, she sent a tweet of gratitude to everyone who has supported and prayed for the Lady Eagles.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">Sa lahat ng sumigaw, nag dasal sa venue, bahay at kahit saan mang lugar THANK YOU. Next time, kasama nyo na akong manunuod.— Alyssa Valdez (@AlyssaValdez2) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlyssaValdez2/status/726374492264517632">April 30, 2016</a></blockquote><script async="" src="~//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>Later, she added another tweet: &quot;Win or lose, it&#x27;s the school I choose. Thank you, Ateneo. Thank you, UAAP. #PhenomOut.&quot;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">Win or lose, its the school I choose. THANK YOU, ATENEO. THANK YOU, UAAP. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PHENOMOUT?src=hash">#PHENOMOUT</a>— Alyssa Valdez (@AlyssaValdez2) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlyssaValdez2/status/726420869875003392">April 30, 2016</a></blockquote><script async="" src="~//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><div>Legacy</div>Oliver Almadro, the head coach of the Ateneo men&#x27;s volleyball team, was among those who comforted a tearful Valdez after the game. The famously passionate &quot;Coach O&quot; told ABS-CBN News that he was so thankful for Valdez, who &quot;made this happen&quot; for volleyball in the Philippines.&quot;Pina-angat ni Alyssa ang volleyball in the country,&quot; said Almadro, who also credited other graduating UAAP players – including La Salle&#x27;s Ara Galang – for elevating the sport.The coach also said that a loss in her final game has absolutely no impact on Valdez&#x27;s legacy. &quot;No, no, no, no,&quot; he stressed. &quot;&#x27;Yung legacy niya, andoon na. Naka-imprint na &#x27;yan. &#x27;Di makaka-affect &#x27;yan.&quot;&quot;Every now and then, aalahanin na once, may Alyssa Valdez na naglaro at nag-represent ng volleyball in the country,&quot; Almadro said.Lazaro, for her part, said Valdez&#x27;s legacy in the Ateneo was about her tremendous work ethic and humility. Already blessed with natural talent and athleticism, Valdez&#x27;s hard work helped make her a three-time MVP, while her humility and charm made her a huge fan favorite.&quot;The essence of hard work and humility,&quot; Lazaro said. &quot;Kahit anong mangyari, despite mga hardships na pinagdaanan ng team, she&#x27;s stood as their rock, as a leader, and ayun – Phenom.&quot;&quot;Phenom Day pa rin today,&quot; she stressed.Ateneo setter Jia Morado, meanwhile, teared up when asked about what Valdez meant to her and to the team.&quot;She&#x27;s really one of the biggest role models I&#x27;ve had,&quot; she said. &quot;She knows what to do inside the court, kahit anong mangyari. We really look up to her, kahit anong mangyari.&quot;<div>Grateful Valdez</div>A grateful Valdez addressed the Ateneo community for the final time on Saturday evening, thanking the supporters who attended a mass at the Church of the Gesu even though the Lady Eagles were coming off a heartbreaking loss.&quot;I&#x27;m really sorry we weren&#x27;t able to bring home the crown,&quot; Valdez said. &quot;Who wants to lose, &#x27;di ba? I think no one wants to lose. Ako, personally, I hate losing… I hate losing kasi I feel like no one will love me, I feel like no one&#x27;s there for me after we lose.&quot;&quot;But I&#x27;m really happy that everyone&#x27;s here,&quot; she added, to applause from the Ateneo fans.Valdez, who entered Ateneo at 16 from the University of Santo Tomas high school, said she exits the school as a &quot;woman for others&quot; who has learned that it&#x27;s not always about winning.&quot;It&#x27;s about giving your all, going all out, and giving your heart for the people who support you. By that, you have won,&quot; she said. &quot;Everyone wants to win. But it is the enjoyment… it is for the people who supported you all throughout.&quot;&quot;I&#x27;m really thankful that Ateneo gave me a chance to share, influence, inspire other people,&quot; Valdez said. &quot;It was my honor to wear the jersey and represent the school.&quot;(For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/"> ABS-CBN Sports website.</a>)

Alyssa Valdez may have ended her legendary UAAP career on a losing note, but no one can deny that the Ateneo superstar has left an indelible legacy on her team, her school, the league, and the sport of volleyball in general.

#PhenomOut: Alyssa leaves legacy of hard work, humility

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#PhenomOut: Alyssa leaves legacy of hard work, humility

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 01, 2016 11:34 AM PHT

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