VOLLEYBALL star Jaja Santiago is uncertain to return for a final season in a National University (NU) uniform and so is Roger Gorayeb, who failed to steer the Lady Bulldogs to the Final Four of the Season 79 University Athletic Association of the Philippines tournament.
“I’m still undecided. I still don’t know if I will still return next season,” said Santiago, who cried as she and her teammates sang their alma mater hymn after squandering a two-set lead for a heartbreaking 25-20, 25-19, 22-25, 21-25, 12-15 loss to University of Santo Tomas last Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The loss sent NU crashing out of the semifinal picture while sending UST to the Final Four for the first time in four seasons.
The Tigresses clash with the defending champions De La Salle Lady Spikers next weekend, while the Ateneo Lady Eagles tangle with the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws in the other half of the Final Four.
A 6-foot-5 middle blocker, Santiago was vastly improved this season with enviable numbers of 268 points in 14 games she built around 195 spikes, 49 blocks and 24 aces to lead the Most Valuable Player race.
Gorayeb, on the other hand, tendered his courtesy resignation to allow NU management to evaluate his performance that saw him recording 7-7 won-lost records for consecutive seasons. NU missed the semifinals on both occasions.
“[NU management] should have a free hand to reassess me, because it has been two years,” Gorayeb said. “But I’ll be glad if I would be the coach again, because I already started a better program for this team. We were better this season than last year. But if they won’t sign me, it’s okay.”