MANILA -- Less than 48 hours after winning the UAAP championship, De La Salle University’s Dawn Macandili and Kianna Dy savored being women’s volleyball royalty again by making themselves available for a chat with selected media last Friday.

With their minds off the title series, there was a laid-back air about the group and it seemed an opportune time to ask them what they thought of the buzziest topic dominating headlines around the world.

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“Week of the UAAP finals and it’s also opening week of ‘Infinity War.’ Have you seen it?” Macandili was asked.

“After Game 1, Sunday, nag-watch kami ng ‘Avengers.’ It’s so nice. I cried. I laughed and cried, and nagalit ako.”

“Favorite character?”

“Gamora.”

About this time, Macandili did a verbal tip-toe and glanced toward Dy’s direction. Dy cut in. She hasn’t seen the movie, she said.

Dy has time to go the movies now not thinking about anything pressing. In fact, she and Marck Espejo watched the Bruno Mars concert together and the pair appeared to have a blast.

With the initial championship adrenaline having dissipated and a clearer perspective of their respective university careers, Macandili and Dy sat down with ABS-CBN News to answer questions looking back at their time at La Salle.

Here are the interviews edited for clarity.

Dawn Macandili

Sweetest of your 3 championships?

This one, because it’s my last. It’s like making history din na part kami na nakapagbigay kay coach (Ramil de Jesus) ng 3-peat.

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Best friend on the team?

Siguro si CJ (Saga) kasi kapwa libero ko siya before and then siya ’yung lagi kong nakakasama.

A player that scared you the most, meaning when you faced this person you knew you really had to play your best.

Si Jaja (Santiago) kasi nasa kaniya na ’yung height, ’yung power so ’pag talagang ginanahan siya sa game mahirap siyang depensahan. So mas-kailangan ko ng extra focus ’pag lumusot sa block kailangan ko rin ma-defend ’yung floor defense.

Most memorable game against Ateneo?

Siguro ’yung first round kasi siyempre sila ’yung nakalaban namin last year for the finals so coming into this season ...nandoon pa rin ’yung rivalry and pride kahit sino pa ’yung players na nandu’n sa Ateneo, nandu’n pa rin ang rivalry sa La Salle.

Favorite sport besides volleyball?

Isang summer nag-tennis kaming magkakapatid. I really enjoyed it. (Reporter asks if she still plays it now?) Maybe when I have time but not now, kasi focused ako sa volleyball masyado.

What will miss you most about playing for La Salle?

Siguro ’yung UAAP kasi iba ’yung feeling ng paglalaro sa UAAP. As in mafi-feel mo kasi ’yung pride na dala mo na galing sa school, na dala mo ’yung pangalan ng school mo compared to maybe PSL kasi medyo professional and work na ’yun talaga. So iba ’yung feeling na maglalaro ka for the school and professionally.

Explain what was going through your mind as the finals MVP was being announced.

Before that may naglabas ng article, parang Dawn Macandili for finals MVP so parang siyempre na-pressure ako na ‘Shucks, hina-hype na ko.’ So ’yung in-a-annouce na ’yung finals MVP, sabi ko ‘Shucks, baka may possibility nga.’ Pero di ko madinig ’yung announcer, na-caught in the moment na parang di ako sure kung ako ’yung in-announce na parang, ‘Ako ba talaga?’

Toughest part about being a student-athlete?

I think the toughest challenge for a student athlete is ’yung instant switch. Kasi siyempre time management, given na ’yun na kailangan may time management ’yung student-athlete. ’Yung pag-switch ng role na ’pag student ka, student ka, parang du’n muna ang focus mo pero pagdating sa training kailangan ’yung focus sa training.

Minsan kasi kasi ’pag finals week, siyempre iisipin mo ang studies mo. Pero pagdating sa training kailangan training muna. Kasi minsan ’pag naghahalo, mawawalan ka ng focus sa training tapos possible pa na maging open ka sa injuries kasi madami kang iniisip. Dapat ganu’n dapat focused ka sa ginagawa mo lagi.

Kianna Dy

Sweetest among championships?

I think it was the first one. Kasi I entered college, first year namin we were second. Second year, we were also second. So ’yung batch namin inisip namin, ‘Tayo ba ’yung malas dito?’ Then nu’ng third year, that was really my turning point kasi it was the time that coach used me during the Ateneo game. Then we won the championship after that, that season talagang very sentimental to me. That season started my UAAP career.

Best friend on the team?

I would say Aduke (Ogunsanya). We’re always together, we eat together. I open up to her, she opens up to me. Actually lahat naman sila. Pero like when there are times when I want to talk to someone or eat with someone, Aduke is the same person that comes to my mind.

A player that scared you the most, meaning when you faced this person you knew you really had to play your best.

Same like Dawn, si Jaja ’coz ’yun nga when she gets the confidence, maganda ang gising niya that day, that’s a bad thing for our team. When she starts strong tapos tuloy tuloy, mahihirapan kami kasi she has the height so mahirap siyang pigilan.

Favorite sport?

Before volleyball I was in track and field. I like sprinting. Parang it was less than a year nag-varsity ako sa La Salle Zobel.

That year I wanted to join a sport and the first sport that came into my mind was track and field ’coz I liked running. Then there was this tournament na umulan and then the whole tournament was cancelled, and I was like ‘What?’ Parang, ‘Umulan lang, na-cancel na?’ So parang naano ako ....‘OK, next sport.’

What will you miss most about playing for La Salle?

Same like Dawn, the feeling of playing for your school. Fighting for the pride of your school, it’s really different. It’s really different the UAAP feeling, the preparation for UAAP.

Then when you mix it with academics, you feel the vibe talaga of being a student-athlete. That’s one thing I’m gonna miss. I’m graduating also (Business Management) and I’m marching this June already.

Do you see yourself being in that industry or continue playing?

I think on the side. I’m still gonna play volleyball, then siguro have a small business. Pwede namang sabay ‘yun.

What kind of business?

I want food. Kasi my daddy has a food business. Coconut products, buko juice, buko shake. Parang ang fun, I want to try it. Maybe if not food, clothes.

What’s one thing behind the scenes that makes coach Ramil a special person?

Kasi si coach he doesn’t really just focus on volleyball skills. He also thinks outside like, ‘How can my athletes survive the outside world?’ He doesn’t just teach us volleyball skills but also mga skills outside volleyball like how be independent, organized, disciplined. In my 5 years sa La Salle, ’yun ang natutunan ko. It made a big difference sa’kin, like if I compare before I entered college and now sobrang laking tulong ng sistema na ginawa ni coach.

Most memorable game versus Ateneo?

Championship game nu’ng Season 78, Game 3. Nakuha namin ulit ‘yung championship from them. It was not an easy match, kasi sa sets na ‘yun lagi silang leading tapos hinabol lang namin sila.

Sobrang after we won, na-feel namin everything na we sacrificed for ...Kasi it was different nu’ng first championship compared sa others pero it’s the same feeling like after the championship point, lahat ng sinacrifice mo sa studies, family, time with other people, sobrang worth it.

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