UP volleybelles win it with grit and lots of supporters

MANILA, Philippines — What it lacked in experience, University of the Philippines made up with its grit, composure and character then fed on the energy of its horde of fans throughout the series to nail its first major women’s volleyball crown in 36 long years.

“I would like to say thank you to the UP fans. Again, you saw them. I was told some of them came all the way from Laguna. It’s far,” said coach Godfrey Okumu after steering the Lady Maroons to the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Collegiate Conference crown via a two-game sweep of last year’s runner-up Far Eastern U late Wednesday.

Majority of the 1,100 spectators wore the school colors – maroon – and backed the team with wild cheers and even did the wave during breaks and timeouts many times in the match, among them star Tots Carlos, who skipped this conference to recover from a shin injury, holding two cardboards that bore the letters U and P.

“It feels like you’re playing in the UP Gym. That’s how it feels like. So again, with our fans cheering on, we don’t want to let them down. Second, they make us feel at peace, knowing that somebody’s there whether we’re down or leading. They will always be there to push us, shout, call (the players’) names and (cheer), ‘UP, fight!’ The word fight means continue pushing so we really credit and respect their presence here,” said Okumu.

Skipper Ayel Estrañero and conference and Finals MVP Isa Molde, who both displayed grit and composure at endgame after combining for six points in UP’s stunning 8-0 turnaround from a 7-13 count in their title-clinching 25-20, 25-18, 23-25, 20-25, 15-13 victory late Wednesday, expressed the same sentiment.

“They are our energizer,” said Molde, who received the top individual honors in the conference and in the finals on the same day then powered the team to the coveted championship, UP’s first since winning the UAAP crown way back in 1982.