UAAP women's volleyball: FEU’s best game, UP’s painful fall

MANILA, Philippines – The final weekend of the elimination round of the 81st UAAP women’s volleyball tournament saw three of the Final Four teams win (UST, Ateneo, and FEU), and two teams saving their best for their last game of the second round (Adamson and the Lady Tamaraws who of course hope, there is a lot more in the tank).

Here are our thoughts about the weekend matches:

FEU plays its best game of the elims

The FEU Lady Tamaraws saved their best for their last match of the elimination round, and this could do well for their confidence heading into the Final Four.

FEU defeated DLSU in a five-set thriller (25-22, 13-25, 15-25, 27-25, 15-8) to finish with a 9-5 record. Their win saw a couple of Lady Tamaraws play their best game of the season. That’s Heather Guino-o, who topscored for the game with 24 points (including three service aces) and back-up setter Gel Cayuna, who finished with 19 excellent sets, 17 excellent digs and two points. 

This is the game that head coach George Pascua wants from his team where they displayed steel nerves at a crucial juncture and to hinder La Salle’s road to a four-peat. DLSU will now have to play UST in a literal best-of-three series to make it to the finals.

FEU got off to a good start after which they wavered. It is always tough when you try to come from behind. Many teams are able to extend the match to a fifth set, but lose steam in that final frame. The Lady Tams once more got off to a good start in the fifth set that helped them secure the win.

Does this say something about La Salle?

I am not worried, to be honest. This team has shown an uncanny ability to bounce back from defeats. 

How about Jolina Dela Cruz? What a talent!

Their best-of-three series versus UST should be thrilling.

Another tough game for Ateneo that could actually be good for them

It wasn’t an easy game for the Ateneo Lady Eagles. The three-set sweep doesn’t begin to tell the story. Two close sets to the UE Lady Red Warriors, 25-20, 27-25. And that second set win by Ateneo was the backbreaker as UE finally succumbed, 25-11, in the third set.

Their seventh loss via three-set sweep notwithstanding, UE finished sixth by a quirk in the ranking system where they pipped NU via ratio.

Tough win or not, this helps Ateneo as they head into the Final Four against FEU. Games like this constantly remind them that they are far from a polished product and this hopefully will keep them sharp.

It is a small victory for UE’s program, but a positive step. Unless they rebuild again and try to pick up experience.

Man… UP

I hate to say this, but the saying “nowhere to go but up” is more than a clever saying. They aren’t on the upsurge. They are on a downward spiral. They finished with a 6-8 record; the same as Season 80. 

Someone told me that the difference of Season 80 was they finished strong. Sure, they did. But that was after they were eliminated from Final Four contention and playing without pressure that is altogether a different matter as compared to when pressed to chalk up a win that matters.

This time, they limp all the way home; an ignominious three-set loss to Adamson, which finished in the cellar with only their second win in 14 outings. They lost their last four games and fifth in the second round. That last good vibes win was over La Salle, but boy did the euphoria dissipate really quickly.

How they pick up the pieces is anyone’s guess. They lose setter Ayel Estrañero and middle hitter Marian Buitre. They still have Marianne Sotomil, who should turn out to be an excellent playmaker, and Jessma Ramos, who in my opinion should really be playing a bit more. But key here is repairing their fractured psyche and keeping this team away from external forces. 

This is as disappointing as that last year of Nicole Tiamzon, Princess Gaiser and Kathy Bersola with their young guns of Tots Carlos, Isa Molde, Justine Dorog, Mae Basarte, Marian Buitre and Estrañero. 

This was theirs for the taking. It isn’t sure if they would win it, but they should have really made the final four at the very least.

When they were building this team years ago, they had a superb rookie class in Carlos, Molde, Dorog and Basarte. They added Rem Cailing, Marist Layug and Jessma Ramos after. Basarte and Cailing aren’t even a part of this team now. It is even unsure if Carlos and Molde will return for one last hurrah. There is even talk that head coach Gody Okumu is considering his options. 

There are a lot of questions, some which could be answered soon; others a few months from now. You have to feel for this team. But right now, they should give them time to heal and well, to really look deep inside and see what is lacking and if they have the mental fortitude to give it another go.