Snuggy Dumpling: La Salle's Triple Threat, The Big M.A.C :D

The Big M.A.C.
Mercado-Alarca-Cruz

As promised, here they are My 3 Favorite players in the UAAP Season 73 Women's Volleyball Tournament.

Big M!

Wearing jersey Number 4 is La Salle's Miss Show Stopper, Stephanie D. Mercado. Steph Mercado or "Paneng" as what her teammates would call her is La Salle's Open Spiker. But she's not a plain and simple Spiker. She is often called as Miss Show Stopper. Why? This is what's amazing about her, when their opponent grabs the momentum from them, she automatically hooks it and never returns it back! For shorter terms, she wants the momentum of the crowd to stay with them and exclusively for them. She's a hard hitter Spiker. Doesn't fear anyone at all. Even if there 3 tall and strong blockers infront her, it is still amazing on how she could find a small opening between those baraquades trying to stop her from grabbing the momentum.. Added info, she is the Daughter of Mrs. Lydia De Vega-Mercado, former Asia's Sprint Queen. Now we know where Steph got her athletic skills :)

Big A!

Wearing jersey Number 3, La Salle's Miss Tower of Taft, Jacqueline Alarca. As what the crowd remembers from this girl is that she stands 5"9 and has amazing leaping skills which makes her the team's Chieftain on the Blocking department. She has bagged several individual awards including this year's Best Server, Best Spiker and MVP of the Finals. She was gifted with overflowing calcium which made her tall and gain strong bones. While for some players, Blocking is a backbreaking job to do, for her, Blocking just like a walk in the park. That's why she is called Miss Tower of Taft. But she does not only capitalize on her Blocking Skills. The "Jacqueline Alarca Dump ball Claw" is mostly feared by the players. As you can see, some would usually dump volleyballs when they do Off-Speed hits. Dump Balls by the way are balls that were hit without any exerted energy. It travels lightly unlike strong spikes. But Jacq Alarca's dump ball is way different from other players. She makes it look like a Dump Ball but she exerts power in it by forming a claw like structure in her hands pushing the ball towards the other side of the court. Now you know why she's the MVP of the Season :)

Big C!

Wearing Jersey Number 11, La Salle's Miss Everything, DLSU's Lady Spikers' Team Captain, and my Personal Favorite, Charleen Abigaile Cruz. Cha Cruz, as what her teammates would call her is the De La Salle Lady Spikers' Team Captain for the Season 73 of the Women's Volleyball Tournament. As we all know, you won't be a Team Captain for nothing. You won't be a Team Captain if you don't have the TSP Factor or what they call the T-Talent, S-Skill, and P-Power. But this Green Lady Archer right here is someone who will extend your imaginations to the limit! Why? And why is she even called as Miss Everything? Well, here's the catch, Cha Cruz first appeared in the UAAP Volleyball Arena during the Season 70 of the Women's Volleyball Tournament. So it was way back 4 years ago. During that time, she was still a fresh graduate from high school. Upon her entry, she was first made as the Team's Setter. As we all know, Setters don't really get much of the credit and attention because it's seldom that they score a point. People did not really recognize her skill. But she did a tremendous Setting Job which made her team win the Championship Title. Now, this is the time where Cha Cruz's talent really flourished. It was during the Season 71 when she was then converted from being a Setter to being an Open Spiker and Middle Blocker for the team. And as expected, she delivered her task excellently, making La Salle the Champions AGAIN. She was then flocked by Volleyball Fanatics and Sports Analyst thus coining her names such as "The Spiking Machine", "De La Salle's Great Green Archer", "La Salle's Mighty Blocking Force" "La Salle's Great Green Wall" and many many more. But as the years grew by, the name that was really granted to her is, " De La Salle's Miss Everything"... Sports Analyst would often make articles telling readers on how this Lady evolved from being an unpopular Setter to a sought-after Cross-Court and Down the Line Attacker.

"She can Set, she can Block, She can Spike, She can Dig. What else can you ask for? Name it, she can do it! Cha Cruz has done everything for her team!"

- Commentator, Doc Ian Laurel

And no wonder. La Salle redeemed the Championship Title from UST making them this years UAAP Season 73 Women's Volleyball Champions. And it was because of Cha Cruz's remarkable leadership plus her matching Talent, Forte, and Intelligence when playing inside the Volleyball Arena. And during the Finals, she truly gave an eavesdropping performance, thus making her the MVP of the Finals! She never wasted the name that was bestowed upon her. Truly, she is "Miss Everything, Cha Cruz"