BANTAY, Ilocos Sur -- A young volleybelle from Bacolod City fell in love with the sport by accident. Literally.
Setter Marianne Sotomil, who led the Western Visayas team to a place finish in the 2018 Palarong Pambansa secondary girls volleyball, was still in Grade 5 when she got hit by a car. After the accident, the doctor said she needed to do something for the muscles in her right leg to regenerate.
Her father told her to play volleyball.
It wasn't love at first try. But the 18-year-old student of Bacolod Taytung High School eventually learned to love the sport her father also plays.
"I was forced to play volleyball because of my condition. But eventually I just learned to volleyball," she said in Filipino. "Everything happens for a reason I guess."
Now she is one of the touted setters out of senior high school. In fact, the Jia Morado fan already committed to the University of the Philippines.
"I feel overwhelmed that someone appreciates my skills," said Sotomil, who already trained with the Lady Maroons before. "I think they like me because I'm the type of player who puts premium on the basics."
Sotomil is thrilled to join the likes Isa Molde and Tots Carlos and help UP sustain its improving play in the UAAP.
But she has to represent her region in one more meet before flying to Manila in May to join the Lady Maroons.
"I know I'm not going to crack the starting lineup but I'll just give whatever I can contribute to the team," she said.