Push Admin

Same fate? Maru Banaticla hopes Eya Laure caps rookie season as UAAP champion

Article (news)

Karl Cedrick Basco, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/sports/05/11/20190511-uaap-2.jpg"/><figcaption>Photo from Maruja Banaticla&#x27;s Twitter account</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines -- Maruja Banaticla entered her collegiate career in UAAP as a champion but it was the last golden performance of the UST Tigresses in the league. Nine years after the last championship of UST, the Espana-based volleybelles are on the verge of ending a title drought after crushing the Ateneo Lady Eagles in Game 1 of Season 81 volleyball Finals, 25-17, 25-16, 25-20 on Saturday. At the helm for the Tigresses were the 1-2 punch Sisi Rondina and super rookie Eya Laure, who both ended the elimination round as the top scorers and hitters of the league. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">Once a Tigress, ALWAYS A TIGRESS!!! 🐯💛 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoUSTe?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoUSTe</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamiNaman?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamiNaman</a> <a href="https://t.co/NBPJUicwsh">pic.twitter.com/NBPJUicwsh</a>— Maruja Banaticla (@marujabanaticla) <a href="https://twitter.com/marujabanaticla/status/1127164027904282626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>While Banaticla praised Rondina’s impeccable performance, she singled out Laure as the girl she sees herself way back her rookie year. Both Laure and Banaticla came from the successful squad of the UST Junior Golden Tigresses and the expectations from them coming to the collegiate ranks were high. “Kasi when I started in college ganoon din eh. Ganun ‘yung expectation. I’m not saying katulad ng kay Eya exactly. As a rookie rin kasi, I’m playing [back]then [for the championship],” Banaticla said after the match at Araneta Coliseum. Laure lived up to the hype she received before entering college, finishing the 14 games as the second leading scorer of UAAP and the top attacker. She is poised to receive the Rookie of the Year award on Wednesday. Banaticla hopes that their fate has the same alignment -- that, Laure will fulfill her promise to bring back the long lost glory of the Tigresses in the UAAP volleyball. “I’m hoping it will really be the same, na ma-straight ‘yung championship [series]. I hope this season makuha natin ‘yung championship,” Banaticla said. Meanwhile, the former Tigress was not surprised on her team’s victory but admitted she did not expect it to be quick. “I wasn’t expecting that in straight sets siyempre given na Ateneo is really fighting so hard to get this championship. Pero sobrang saya talaga,” she said. “‘Yung confidence nila nandoon. ‘Yung confidence is big factor para makapag-perform ng maayos. I think everybody contributed well in terms of spike, blockings, defense. ‘Yung service lang hindi pa masyadong [okay].”For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.

Maruja Banaticla entered her collegiate career in UAAP as a champion but it was the last golden performance of the UST Tigresses in the league.

Maruja Banaticla entered her collegiate career in UAAP as a champion but it was the last golden performance of the UST Tigresses in the league.

Same fate? Maru Banaticla hopes Eya Laure caps rookie season as UAAP champion

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Sports

Same fate? Maru Banaticla hopes Eya Laure caps rookie season as UAAP champion

Karl Cedrick Basco,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 12, 2019 12:05 AM PHT

Read More:

UAAP

UAAP Season 81

UAAP Season 81 women’s volleyball

volleyball

Eya Laure

Maru Banaticla

Maruja Banaticla

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.