Far Eastern University (FEU) bounced back from its dismal performance in the early part of last year with a better showing in UAAP Season 85. Just when people thought there was all there is for the league's women's volleyball powerhouse, a gem was waiting to be unraveled.
Keisha Bedonia had been training with the Lady Tamaraws since last year under then-head coach Tina Salak, but things did not pan out for her. Nevertheless, the upstart still worked hard and prepared for an eventuality.
"My mindset was not to stop training hard every day because I knew my time would come to join them and play on the court," she said.
Now that Bedonia was given that chance, she certainly showed her potential, leading the Lady Tamaraws to a semifinal appearance and, now, one win away from reaching the Finals.
"I was just glad that my time has finally come. I'm finally here, and I got to play with them. So, I poured out all I could and could give the team—101 percent."
Nonetheless, it was not all a bed of roses for FEU as they tasted the bitterness of defeat in Game 1 of the semifinals against Perpetual. However, that same loss rekindled the eagerness of the young outside hitter and the Lady Tamaraws.
"Personally, I just got hungrier," Bedonia shared.
"That passion to win came back because when we played against Perpetual, we played relaxed, and we lost respect for the opponents. We forgot that they were ready for that game, and on our part, we just played as if we would beat them again just because we did so in the eliminations."
Bedonia and the Lady Tams knew that Sunday's match would be all or nothing, and the squad would bring that same mindset into the do-or-die Game 3.
"We will bring the things we did today, but we will do so two-fold or three-fold to win again."
