By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Ilongga volleyball player Marianne Sotomil of the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons saw the UAAP’s cancellation of the remainder of Season 82 earlier this year and the entire Season 83 next year as a breather.

In an interview with Sports LANG podcast on Sunday night, the former Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts setter said that the cancellation was a silver lining for her after years of being a student-athlete.

“Disappointed kasi kung ano man ang pinangabudlayan namin during the UAAP Season 82 offseason were wasted kasi na-cancel but, for me, may positive na nangyari,” said the Pavia, Iloilo-native.

“Since almost half of my life ay naging student-athlete ako, from high school I was away from my family since I was playing in Bacolod and to college sa UP, nawalan ako ng time sa family. With this pandemic, nakabawi ako,” she added.

Sotomil also said, while she already expected the cancellation with the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country remained the same, she was saddened as some of the UP players will not be returning when the UAAP resumes.

Earlier this month, the UAAP Board has announced the cancellation of the entire Season 83 originally scheduled for April 2021 and will instead proceed with the Season 84 tentatively slated for September 2021./ASC, WDJ