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Comparisons to La Salle veteran Gohing spurred Macandili to greatness

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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/2017/sports/05/11/dawn-macandili-051117.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">De La Salle libero Dawn Macandili. <cite>Arvin Lim, <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/volleyball/photos">ABS-CBN Sports</a></cite></div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – Before Dawn Macandili anchored De La Salle University&#x27;s service reception and floor defense with her steady arms and lightning quick reflexes, another star libero set the standard for floor defenders in Taft.Mel Gohing, who earned the nickname &quot;The Ninja,&quot; won Rookie of the Year honors in UAAP Season 71, and went on to be the libero of four title-winning teams for La Salle. By the time she ended her collegiate career in Season 75, Gohing had earned the distinction of being the libero that all future La Salle defenders will be compared to.Macandili, who was a standout libero in De La Salle-Zobel before rising to the senior ranks, was not exempt from these comparisons.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href=" http://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/news/2017/05/08/de-jesus-genius-disciplinarian-champion-coach-25707">READ: DE JESUS: Genius, disciplinarian, champion coach</a></li></ul>&quot;&#x27;Yung idol ko po talaga is Ate Mel,&quot; Macandili said in an appearance on &quot;The Score&quot; on Tuesday, after helping the Lady Spikers win the UAAP Season 79 women&#x27;s volleyball championship.&quot;Siya &#x27;yung laging nako-compare sa liberos sa Taft,&quot; she added. &quot;Pag-dating ko kasi, naka-graduate na siya, and lagi kong nae-experience sa training na, &#x27;Si Ate Mel mo, hindi &#x27;yan nababagsakan ng bola.&#x27;&quot;[Ate Mel is my idol. She&#x27;s the one that liberos in Taft are always compared to. When I arrived in La Salle, she had already graduated, but in training I was always compared to her.]These constant comparisons to Gohing inspired Macandili to work even harder to become La Salle&#x27;s next great libero, and to become worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as &quot;The Ninja.&quot;&quot;Instead na ma-degrade ako, mas na-inspire ako,&quot; Macandili said. &quot;Parang, &#x27;Wow, siguro kaya ko rin &#x27;yun&#x27;.&quot;&quot;Nag-effort talaga ako na ma-reach ang level ni Ate Mel,&quot; she added.[Instead of being degraded by the comparisons, I was inspired. I thought that I could also do what Ate Mel did. So I really exerted the effort to reach her level.]By the time she reached her third season in the UAAP, Macandili had made a name for herself and started to break out of Gohing&#x27;s shadow. Macandili earned Best Receiver and Best Digger honors in Season 78, and helped La Salle win the title. Later in 2016, she won MVP honors in the Philippine Superliga&#x27;s All-Filipino Conference, a rare honor for a libero.She was universally regarded as the best libero in the collegiate ranks by the time the UAAP Season 79 tournament rolled around, and Macandili ended the season by winning another Best Receiver award and helping La Salle win a second straight title.She even has her own nickname – &quot;Miss Everywhere&quot; – as fans celebrated her incredible ability to materialize at any area of the court to save the ball for La Salle.Gohing herself has been nothing but impressed with how Macandili has consistently improved over the years.&quot;I&#x27;m super amazed. Honestly, speechless. Iba si Dawn. People compare us, but sabi ko, you can&#x27;t compare Dawn, because she already made a name for herself,&quot; Gohing said. &quot;Grabe si Dawn, sobrang hands down.&quot;But what makes Gohing even prouder of her successor is that Macandili has elevated the libero position, to the point that fans are now recognizing how vital their performances are to a team&#x27;s success.&quot;Medyo underrated kasi ang mga libero for the past years,&quot; she said. &quot;So ngayon, because of Dawn, liberos are rising up.&quot;(For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website.</a>)

Before Dawn Macandili anchored De La Salle University's service reception and floor defense with her steady arms and lightning quick reflexes, another star libero set the standard for floor defenders in Taft.

Before Dawn Macandili anchored De La Salle University's service reception and floor defense with her steady arms and lightning quick reflexes, another star libero set the standard for floor defenders in Taft.

Comparisons to La Salle veteran Gohing spurred Macandili to greatness

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Comparisons to La Salle veteran Gohing spurred Macandili to greatness

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 11, 2017 01:16 PM PHT

Read More:

UAAP

volleyball

De La Salle Lady Spikers

Mel Gohing

Dawn Macandili

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