Eya Laure shared what went through her head during the AVC Challenge Cup semifinals when she only had three points, and how she managed to bounce back.
After Alas Pilipinas suffered a heartbreaker to Kazakhstan in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup semifinals on a fateful Tuesday night, Eya Laure tried to mask her emotions with a smile.
She climbed up to the stands to find her collegiate and professional team coach Kungfu Reyes. Laure finally broke down as she hugged her mentor.
Laure only managed to put up three points in the critical loss that ended the title dreams of the Philippines.
[ALSO READ: AVC: Alas Pilipinas' perfect run ends with a heartbreaker to Kazakhstan]
“Ako personally, alam kong pangit ‘yung nilaro ko [against Kazakhstan]. Hindi ako nakaambag. ‘Yun nga ‘yung hinihiya ko kay Ate Sisi [Rondina], na parang na-sad ako kasi semis tapos may naramdaman ako na biglaan kaya 'di ako maka-perform,” Laure shared.
“‘Yun lang naman ‘yung na-frustrate ako kaya medyo umiyak ako.”
But Laure is a fighter. She's a Queen Tigress after all, mentored by Kungfu Reyes and all.
And rise again she did.
In the battle for third, Laure was among the country’s heroes who set the tone in the straight-set rout of Australia.
The prolific outside hitter helped blaze the bronze trail with 10 points, buoying the Philippines to its first-ever podium finish in the Asian Volleyball Confederation since 1961.
[ALSO READ: Alas Pilipinas repeat over Australia to net historic bronze medal in AVC Challenge Cup]
“Siyempre sa bawat set, sa bawat pangit na laro, ang mindset lang namin sa susunod na laro ay makabawi sa susunod na lalaruin namin,” Laure said.
“Ang mindset lang [against Australia] ay bumawi at kunin ang bronze.”
Laure attributed the historic victory to the collective efforts of Alas Pilipinas.
“Pero siyempre team effort ‘to, lahat ng team members ng Alas, coaching staff at mga sumusuporta sa amin, nagawa namin ‘to dahil sa kanila,” she said.
“Siyempre, sila ang unang naniwala. ‘Yung mga kababayan namin na manalo, matalo, naniwala sila sa team Alas.”
[ALSO READ: Alas Pilipinas to receive bonus worth P200K each after historic bronze in the AVC Challenge Cup]
“Nandito kami to play for our country, at masaya kami sa naging output kasi wala naman talaga kami masyadong in-expect,” she said.
“Ang usapan lang talaga namin ay ilabas kung ano ‘yung kaya namin para ipaglaban ang bansa, para ipakita sa ibang country na tayong mga Pilipino may ibubuga rin.”