Last year, injury kept Cyrille Almeniana off the court, leaving her to offer nothing but her support and cheers for the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA in NCAA Season 100 women's volleyball.
Almeniana injured her shoulder during an off-season tournament, which forced the coaching staff to sideline her for the entire season. But she didn’t lose her confidence—or herself. Instead, she dedicated that time to her recovery and rehabilitation as she vowed to come back stronger.
And so far in Season 101, the third-year opposite hitter is proving that promise was no empty one.
"Injured po ako last season. Shoulder po, nu’ng MPVA po. Pagkapalo ko lang tapos iniwas ko sa blocker tapos outside tapos biglang umano ‘yung shoulder ko. Tapos kinabukasan, pina-check ko na agad tapos nu’ng lumabas ‘yung results, punit po ‘yung shoulder," Almeniana recalled in an interview with GMA News Online.
"100 percent gigil po talaga this season kasi ‘yun nga po, inggit na inggit po ako last season kasi nanonood lang po ako, tagapalakpak."
(I was injured last season. Shoulder, MPVA. When I hit the ball and I avoided the blocker and it was outside, I felt something in my shoulder. The next day, I had it checked and when the results came out, it was a tear in the shoulder... I'm 100 percent eager this season because I was so jealous last season, all I could do was watch and clap.)
One of her biggest games this season thus far was a 27-point and 12-dig explosion against no less than four-time defending champion De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, which the Las Piñas crew outlasted with a 25-21, 18-25, 25-23, 17-25, 16-14 win to kick things off.
She then dropped 18 markers in a sweep of Jose Rizal University and posted 10 points in another straight-sets victory over San Sebastian College-Recoletos.
Today, she once again top-scored with 18 points and eight digs against Mapua University as the Lady ALTAs surged to a huge 4-0 start.
Almeniana said she could not have regained her confidence if not for the people around her, including her coaches and teammates who pushed her during her recovery period.
"Dahil din po sa mga teammates ko, sa mga coaches kasi pinu-push nila ako na kaya ko. Kumpiyansa din ako sa sarili ko kasi alam ko pong kaya ko rin," she added.
(Because of my teammates, my coaches, they pushed me that I can do it. I'm confident in myself because I know I can do it.)
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
