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UAAP: Bea de Leon hails fellow captain Rondina — ‘She made everything harder’

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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/2019/sports/05/18/20190518-volleyball-admu-ust-md-1md_0863.jpg"/><figcaption>Bea de Leon made sure Sisi Rondina knew how much she respected her game. &quot;(I told her) that she was good, that she made everything so much harder,&quot; de Leon said. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN Sports</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines—She may have failed to lead University of Santo Tomas to the crown, but Sisi Rondina was still universally praised following the UAAP Season 81 women&#x27;s volleyball finals.</p><p>Despite Rondina&#x27;s best efforts, the Golden Tigresses bowed to Ateneo de Manila University in the emotional 3-game series, with the Lady Eagles sweeping them in Game 3, 25-17, 25-22, 25-22.</p><p>Rondina recovered from a slow start in the game to finish with 18 points, but the Golden Tigresses were unable to overcome Ateneo&#x27;s impressive net defense. It did not help that rookie of the year Eya Laure was clearly hampered by an ankle injury, and committed several attack errors even as she bravely played on.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/ateneo-edges-ust-as-lady-eagles-ascend-uaap-volleyball-throne">Ateneo edges UST, as Lady Eagles ascend UAAP volleyball throne</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/uaap-lady-eagles-captain-bea-de-leon-caps-career-with-title-finals-mvp">UAAP: Lady Eagles captain Bea de Leon caps career with title, finals MVP</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/uaap-kat-tolentino-will-celebrate-first-before-deciding-on-final-year">UAAP: Kat Tolentino will celebrate first before deciding on final year</a></li></ul><p>At the end of her UAAP career, Rondina was showered with praise from both sides, with the Ateneo gallery at Mall of Asia Arena also showing its appreciation for the gutsy spiker. Ateneo middle-blocker Bea de Leon gave her fellow captain a hug under the net, and later said that she told Rondina how much she respected her.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">RESPECT. 💯 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAAPVolleyballFinals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UAAPVolleyballFinals</a> <a href="https://t.co/vfuh3RUz18">pic.twitter.com/vfuh3RUz18</a></p>— ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbnsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/abscbnsports/status/1129676789180116992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>&quot;(I told her) that she was good, that she made everything so much harder,&quot; said de Leon, who like Rondina also played her last game on Saturday.</p><p>&quot;Kung alam lang niya kung gaano ako sinigawan ni coach (Oliver Almadro) dahil hindi ko makuha yung spikes niya na sobrang deep cross,&quot; she added. &quot;I just wanted to let her know that this shouldn&#x27;t define her career and what she has accomplished.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/after-dani-wins-one-make-that-5-uaap-titles-for-ravena-siblings">After Dani wins one, make that 5 UAAP titles for Ravena siblings</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/uaap-maddie-madayag-relishes-up-and-down-journey-that-led-to-title">UAAP: Maddie Madayag relishes up-and-down journey that led to title</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/uaap-on-road-to-title-filled-with-doubters-and-critics-lady-eagles-kept-the-faith">UAAP: On road to title filled with doubters and critics, Lady Eagles kept the faith</a></li></ul><p>De Leon and Rondina entered the league at the same time, in Season 77, but had wildly divergent paths. Whereas De Leon was an immediate starter for an Ateneo team that won the title that year, Rondina had to work her way from the bench and into the starting six. </p><p>Moreover, De Leon played in the UAAP finals in four of her five seasons, while this was Rondina&#x27;s one and only appearance in a championship series.</p><p>But their mutual respect was clear, with de Leon marveling at how much Rondina had accomplished in her years in UST.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Your kapitanas! Bea de Leon and Sisi Rondina <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAAPVolleyballFinals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UAAPVolleyballFinals</a> <a href="https://t.co/vXl9wXn7yb">pic.twitter.com/vXl9wXn7yb</a></p>— Karl Cedrick Basco (@cedrickkbasco) <a href="https://twitter.com/cedrickkbasco/status/1129682691987664898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>&quot;That talent, that heart, and she led her team here,&quot; said de Leon of Rondina. &quot;Of course she had Eya, but imagine, tinarbaho niya &#x27;yan for 5 years.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Grabe siya,&quot; she said. &quot;I just wanted to let her know how much I respected her as an opponent.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/19/19/uaap-on-way-out-sisi-rondina-has-one-message-to-ust-rookies">UAAP: On way out, Sisi Rondina has one message to UST rookies</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/uaap-ust-super-rookie-eya-laure-looks-back-at-series-with-mix-of-pride-regret">UAAP: UST super rookie Eya Laure looks back at series with mix of pride, regret</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/pasensya-na-rondina-apologizes-to-ust-community-for-falling-short-in-uaap-finals">‘Pasensya na’: Rondina apologizes to UST community for falling short in UAAP finals</a></li></ul><p>In the end, however, it was de Leon — and fellow Ateneo seniors Maddie Madayag and Kim Gequillana — who got the golden send-off.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s the best,&quot; said de Leon of her exit. &quot;I&#x27;d choose this over anything.&quot;</p><p>For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.</p>

<p>Ateneo middle-blocker Bea de Leon gave her fellow captain a hug under the net, and later said that she told Rondina how much she respected her.</p>

Ateneo middle-blocker Bea de Leon gave her fellow captain a hug under the net, and later said that she told Rondina how much she respected her.

UAAP: Bea de Leon hails fellow captain Rondina — ‘She made everything harder’

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UAAP: Bea de Leon hails fellow captain Rondina — ‘She made everything harder’

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 18, 2019 09:25 PM PHT

|

Updated May 19, 2019 09:30 AM PHT

Read More:

UAAP Season 81

UAAP Season 81 women's volleyball

Ateneo Lady Eagles

UST Golden Tigresses

Bea de Leon

Sisi Rondina

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