SPORT | NCAA volleyball: Coach's tough love results in Finals MVP plum for Arellano's Arocha

Arellano's Regine Arocha is the Finals MVP of NCAA Season 93. Josh Albelda, ABS-CBN Sports

MANILA, Philippines – There was no doubt that Regine Arocha was the best player on the court on Monday, when Arellano University secured a second consecutive women's volleyball title in the NCAA.

The Best Opposite Hitter in Season 93 was superb in Game 2, scoring 15 points on 14 attacks. She also registered 12 digs to help shore up the Lady Chiefs' floor defense against the San Beda University Lady Red Spikers.

Arocha was at her best in the closing stretch of the second set, when the Lady Chiefs saved a whopping four set points for a come-from-behind win. She sealed the win with back-to-back attack points that sent San Beda reeling.

Arellano went on to score a 25-13, 29-27, 25-15 victory in Game 2 to claim their second consecutive NCAA crown and third in four years. Fittingly, Arocha earned Finals MVP honors after averaging 14.5 points in the series.

"Hindi ko pa po talaga naa-absorb na ako 'yung Finals MVP. Sobrang, sobrang saya ko po," the third-year spiker told reporters after celebrating with her teammates at the FilOil court.

3D2N TRIO-ISLAND TOUR PACKAGE TO PAMILACAN, BALICASAG & VIRGIN ISLAND

• For Arellano coach Obet Javier, Arocha's massive improvement was gratifying to see, considering how hard the player worked.

It also proved to Javier that his "tough love" approach to Arocha during training paid off.

"Siyempre tuwang-tuwa ako kasi lahat ng pagod niya, lahat ng sigaw ko sa kanya, lahat ng talagang galit ko sa kanya, nagbunga na," the coach said.

"So naintindihan niya na siguro kung bakit kailangan ko siyang sigawan, pagalitan - para makuha niya kung anong dapat kong makita sa kanya. At tuwang-tuwa ako sa kanya dahil napakalaki talaga ng improvement ng bata," he added.

Arocha's rise in the past two seasons have been remarkable. She was a bench player for most of Season 92, before establishing herself as a star during the Lady Chiefs' finals series against San Sebastian College. In Season 93, she showed that she was ready to shoulder a bigger load for Arellano.

Her responsibility should only grow come Season 94, as the Lady Chiefs are set to bid goodbye to three of their key players – middle blockers Anne Esguerra and Andrea Marzan, and another ace spiker in Jovie Prado.

Javier is confident that Arocha can handle it. "May dalawang (seasons) pa siya," he said of his player. "Sasagarin niya 'yun."