De La Salle Lady Spikers rally behind new setter Cobb

MANILA, Philippines – It speaks to the quality of De La Salle University's women's volleyball program that they can lose a setter of Kim Fajardo's caliber and still head into the new UAAP season as the favorites to win the championship again.

Fajardo cemented her place in UAAP history in Season 79, when she led the Lady Spikers to a second consecutive championship in women's volleyball, while winning Best Setter and Best Server honors in the process.

La Salle's "KAF-tain" has moved on, however, and exhausted her playing years. In her place, coach Ramil de Jesus has handed playmaking duties to young Michelle Cobb.

Cobb rarely saw playing time in Season 79 but will be thrust into the spotlight in Season 80.

Cobb is already familiar to La Salle fans. She was tipped to be La Salle's new setter last year, when it was not yet certain if Fajardo will return for her final season. With Fajardo back, Cobb had the chance to sit back and watch one of the best – if not the best – setter in the country run the show for the Lady Spikers. Sometimes, when De Jesus felt it necessary, he would send Cobb in to be a setter and shift Fajardo to utility.

Those moments, however, were seldom. More often than not, Cobb watched from the reserve box as Fajardo pulled the strings in La Salle's offense, deploying the team's variety of weapons in the best possible ways.

"Last year, my role was to deliver quality minutes," said the 18-year-old Cobb.

Author: Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News
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