Daily Tribune
SHEVANA Laput of La Salle (middle) is at the front and center of the individual awards. Other winners are (from left) Angeline Poyos of UST, Alleiah Malaluan, Thea Gagate, Laput and Amie Provido of La Salle, Detdet Pepito of UST and Angge Alcantara of Adamson. | Photograph courtesy of SSL
Sophomore Shevana Laput has already earned her spot as one of De La Salle University's main stars.
From a role-player during her rookie year in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, the Filipino-Australian winger became the Lady Spikers' go-to guy in their championship run in the Shakey's Super League National Invitationals.
Her consistency propelled the reigning UAAP champions to the throne and even had two individual awards including Most Valuable Player to boot.
But the 6-foot-3 hitter is not resting on her laurels knowing that she still has a lot to learn being new to the sport.
"I mean it's really great. It's amazing. It's an honor, like I said. But I guess this makes me feel like I need to step up even more," Laput said after La Salle completed a come-from-behind best-of-three finals series win over Adamson University last Sunday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
"I need to work even harder, you know, now that there's a 'reputation' kind of thing."
Laput dropped 13 points as La Salle scored a 25-19, 25-22, 25-17, win in Game 3 to claim its first league title after a runner-up finish in the SSL Collegiate Preseason Championship last year.
"I knew as a team that we'll gonna get there. We worked hard and even though there was a loss (in Game 1), we still worked hard even after that. We developed our skills so I knew that that was coming," Laput said.
Laput averaged 20.3 points during the finals series and also recorded a tournament-best 30 markers in a lost cause in the Lady Spikers' sorry five-set setback in the series opener.
Assistant coach Noel Orcullo praised Laput, who also won Best Opposite Spiker, for stepping up and taking on the scoring chores with La Salle playing sans UAAP Rookie of the Year and MVP Angel Canino.
"She's our most consistent player in the tournament. From the very start she's playing very well. Hopefully, she'll be able to sustain and translate it to the UAAP. Also, hopefully, she'll bring the experience she learned here," Orcullo said.
Canino, who skipped the competition to rest, also expressed admiration for her peer.
"I'm very proud of her. As I said before she has improved a lot since last year because remember she just started volleyball last year. She continuously proves to herself, to us, our coaches that she has more to offer and she showed it by winning MVP," Canino said.
Former Lady Spiker Jolina dela Cruz shared the same sentiment about the track athlete that shifted to volleyball just a year ago.
"Shevana showed great improvement since joining La Salle, that's what coach Ramil (De Jesus) likes about her. She joined La Salle with zero (experience in volleyball) and teaching her is a breeze because she has no bad habits," Dela Cruz, who played alongside Laput in her last UAAP tournament.
"Shevana easily understands and applies what coach (Ramil) wants her to do. What's great about Shevana is that she's quick to adapt."
But despite all the praises and accolades, Laput credited her teammates for her success.
"I feel honored but like I said, it was all because of my teammates. My teammates gave me that trust, they gave me that poise to hit and they gave me the support. I could swing knowing that they would be there covering (for) me," a grateful Laput said.
