College of Saint Benilde will still have its key pieces when it shoots for the women’s volleyball three-peat in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 99 next year.
The Lady Blazers’ go-to guys Mycah Go and Gayle Pascual have committed to coming back next season to lead the Taft-based squad in completing a grand slam.
“Yes, we’ll be back for next season. Probably, it will be my last (season) for me,” Pascual said on Monday when she and Go received their Volleyball Player of the Year recognition during the Collegiate Press Corps Awards night at the Hummingbird Rooftop Bar in Quezon City.
‘So right now, I’m really focusing on my recovery.’
Pascual played a vital role in Season 98 as she took over the role of scorer and leader for Saint Benilde after Go suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament on her knee just a couple of weeks before the start of the competition.
She led the Jerry Yee-mentored Lady Blazers to a second straight perfect season for the school’s third title overall.
Go, on the other hand, was instrumental in Saint Benilde’s first season sweep the previous year.
The strong-willed winger is now on the right track to recovery as she hopes to get back in top form for the Lady Blazers’ three-peat bid.
“I’m making great progress in my recovery. I’m now on my fourth month (of rehabilitation),” Go said.
ACL injuries require at least a minimum of six months of recovery.
“I can’t tell exactly how many percent (recovered) I am right now but based on my monthly checkup I’m making progress,” she added.
“So right now, I’m really focusing on my recovery.”
Go and Pascual were the NCAA recipients of the awards for athletic years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, respectively, given by reporters from print and online publications covering the collegiate beat.
“I’m really happy that we got this rare chance to be given this opportunity to be recognized for our hard work and we’re happy for these awards given to us,” Pascual said.
“We’re really happy because it’s not often that you get this kind of recognition. And it’s a big boost for our (volleyball) career. Of course, we’re not getting any younger and this is a great experience for us,” Go added.
Sharing the spotlight with Go and Pascual during the awards rites were their University Athletic Association of the Philippines counterparts Bella Belen of National University and De La Salle University’s Angel Canino.
