The past eight months have been a rollercoaster ride for Khy Cepada.
The beginning of the year felt just right for the young athlete when she ignited the University of the East women's volleyball team's campaign in UAAP Season 85 under head coach Jumbo Dimaculangan.
A few months after UAAP, the school decided to change the management of some of its sports teams, including women's volleyball, and consequently, its coaching staff. Cepada was left in uncertainty following these developments, as she openly admitted her deep indebtedness to the former head coach, Jumbo Dimaculangan.
"We took a vacation after the season and during that same period, the coaching change occurred. I felt truly saddened at that time because Coach Jumbo meant so much to me," she shared.
"When we came back, there was a new set of coaches and new teammates. It felt different as some of my former teammates had left."
Curiously, Cepada was excluded from the team's roster at the beginning of the 2023 V-League Collegiate Challenge, leading to speculations about her absence.
However, when UE needed someone to step into the shoes of the injured Jelai Gajero, the power spiker was at the top of the list. Eventually, she resurfaced in the scene, still wearing the Red and White, in their semis-berth-clinching victory against Lyceum of the Philippines University on Sunday.
Despite nursing some minor injuries and coming off the bench, Cepada contributed to the Lady Warriors' straight-set victory over the Lady Pirates, with scores of 25-15, 25-15, and 25-23. All three of her points came in the closing frame, and no one was happier to be hitting the ball again than the wing spiker herself.
"Naturally, I was nervous and excited to be back. It felt like a brand-new experience. I was playing with a new set of teammates on the court. Yes, it was just my first game back, but it was absolutely refreshing," she concluded.
