Second year winger Lovely Lopez exudes an infectious positive energy that rubs off on her Far Eastern University (FEU) teammates.
However, it’s not just Lopez’s rah-rah attitude and animated display on court that endeared her to the Lady Tamaraws but the clutch plays she delivers whenever called off the bench by head coach Tina Salak.
The Zambales native stepped up big time as the designated closer in FEU’s first back-to-back wins in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament.
Lopez averaged 7.0 points per game in the Lady Tamaraws’ wins over Adamson University and Ateneo de Manila University, with most of her points coming from the closing stretch of the match.
In fact, the 5-foot-7 hitter scored FEU’s last three points in the extended third set to complete a 25-17, 25-17, 26-24, sweep Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum as the Lady Tamaraws improved to a 3-2 win-loss record.
For Lopez, it’s her way of repaying the trust given to her by Salak.
“For me, I’m just happy playing and enjoying every moment I’m inside the court,” she said.
Salak believes Lopez is a vital cog in the team’s future.
“Lovely’s role is not just being an off the bench player. We also give the young players a chance to experience playing as starters. But still, it depends on our game plan. (But) she’s very reliable in terms of scoring or when we need her service,” the mentor said.
“The good thing is she always has the same mindset off the bench, up front or whatsoever. When you look at her, you’ll feel happy. My only concern is that you just can’t tell if she’s serious or not? But I believe in her, I have faith in Love,” Salak added.
Lopez is embracing her identity as the team’s energizer bunny.
Her celebration, best known for her “kaldag” gestures, after each point boosts FEU’s morale and adds some entertainment amid intense competition.
“I guess my personality is… I don’t even know! I’ll leave it up to you,” she quipped.