'Double celebration' for graduating DLSU players Cheng, Saga in win vs UP

GRADUATING. Desiree Cheng chooses to miss her graduation ceremony and score 10 points in the game. Photo by Michael Gatpandan/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Despite making their first sweep of the season over the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons, two DLSU Lady Spikers missed one event that college students would want to attend: their graduation.

Starting outside hitter Desiree Cheng and backup setter/libero CJ Saga opted to play and support their team mates in their second UAAP Season 80 game rather than march with their batchmates.

Both Lady Spikers entered DLSU in 2013. Cheng completed her degree in AB Sports Management while Saga graduated AB Philippine Studies Major in Filipino Mass Media with an honorable mention award.

For Cheng, she did not regret missing her graduation as UAAP volleyball is her priority now.

"Priority ko 'yung volleyball ngayon kasi it’s UAAP pero siyempre kung ibang liga, maybe mag-mamarch na lang ako (My priority is volleyball now because it's UAAP but of course if it's other leagues, maybe I'll march)," said Cheng.

The starter still has one more chance to march in the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) as she is already starting her graduate studies for a degree in Marketing in the GCOB Graduate School.

"I’m taking my masters ngayon, so doon ko nal ang i-loolook forward. Doon na lang ako magmamarch. It’s okay talaga. No big deal (I'm taking my masters now, so I'll just look forward to that. I'll just march there. It's okay. No big deal)," she said.

Cheng registered 10 points in 3 sets while leading the DLSU Lady Spikers with 7 out of the 20 total excellent digs.

Aside from today being her "big day," head coach Ramil de Jesus is proud of Cheng's production in the game as it shows how much she is stepping up to be one of the leaders of the team.

"Si Des Cheng sobrang talagang isa sa mga core ng team namin ‘yun so mas siguro nakikita ko every game nag-iimprove siya. Willing naman siya na gawin ang role niya as a leader, nakikita ko na ang maturity sa kanya," said De Jesus.

(Des Cheng is really one of the core members of our team so I see it in every game that she is improving. She's willing to have a leadership role and I see her maturity.)

February 10, 2018, is a double celebration for both Cheng and Saga. The DLSU Lady Spikers look to continue the glad tidings in their match against the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws on Wednesday, February 14, at the Filoil Flying V Centre. – Rappler.com