Shevana Laput is embracing a bigger role leading De La Salle University as team captain for its redemption bid in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament.

Despite changes in their lineup this year, the Lady Spikers are determined to reclaim the crown they last won three years ago.

“I would say in terms, again, we’re just more solid right now. Especially, even though we have a lot of rookies coming in and not that many veterans, we still have our core intact,” she said as La Salle prepares for the collegiate wars erupting on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Lady Spikers get an early acid test when they take on a strong title contender, Far Eastern University, on Valentine’s Day.

“Everyone wants to win. We all have that winner mentality coming into this season. Our chances, again, are being pushed up because of that,” the 6-foot-2 winger added.

The Lady Spikers came up short of bringing the title back to Taft Avenue last season, losing to back-to-back champion National University in a finals sweep.

As skipper, Laput welcomes the challenge of leading her team back into Promised Land with the help of other grizzled veterans led by Alas Pilipinas stars former Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Angel Canino and middle blocker Amie Provido, and reigning Best Libero Lyka de Leon.

“Of course, I am embracing it with a lot of hope and a lot of happiness. Of course, even though I am the captain at the end of the day, it’s not only me leading this team. I still do have my batchmates. I still have Amie, Angel, Lyka, all four of us are leading this team this season,” the Season 87 Best Opposite Spiker said.

“Especially being the seniors now, we get to really put that plan into motion. I believe we have a very strong chance this coming season,” the Filipino-Australian student-athlete added.

Unlike other teams, La Salle had a relatively quiet offseason preparation. The squad opted to skip joining pre-season tournaments and basically kept their cards hidden throughout the break.

Laput believes it’s one of La Salle’s advantages coming into the season.

“For us, for the Lady Spikers, it very much was disciplining ourselves with the system that Coach Ramil (De Jesus) and Coach Noel (Orcullo) have made for us. And focusing on ourselves, I mean, we haven’t done many pre-season,” she said.

“A lot of people would say we are low-key, but I guess that is the reason why Coach Ramil and Coach Noel chose to do this. So that we come into this season, I guess, kind of being underestimated by most people.”