COACH Oliver Almadro is calling for consistency from the players as Ateneo fights for dear life against the BanKo in the semifinals of the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference on Saturday at the Arena in San Juan.
The Lady Eagles look to force a decider after falling short in the opener of the best-of-three series. The match starts at 2 p.m. and Almadro is hoping the Lady Eagles can get off to a strong start this time and sustain it to force a decider on Sunday.
“Everyone really needs maturity, we really need mental toughness hanggang dulo and we really need to want it more kasi yung nangyayari mas gustong manalo ng Perlas,” Almadro said. “This is their tournament kami naman guest lang dito but kami as a young team we really have to want it more if you want it more, if we want to stay until Sunday.”
Almadro added that he was somehow pleased with the performances of Kat Tolentino, Maddie Madayag, Bea de Leon, Deanna Wong, Ponggay Gaston, Vannie Gandler and Jules Samonte, but he is asking for consistency.
“I’m taking it positively na naka-two sets na kami so yun nga kailangan pagdating ng end game we really have to want it more, we really have to play hard pagdating sa dulo and kailangan namin to end it strong and end it right,” Almadro said.
“I’m happy na yung mga players naman nagdedeliver, everybody did well hindi lang talaga consistent. We really have to be consistent from start to finish.”
BanKo coach Dong Dela Cruz, meanwhile, believes it’s time for the Perlas Spikers to reach the championship round.
BanKo has yet to reach the finals since joining last year, bowing out at the semifinal round to PayMaya in the Reinforced Conference.
“It’s about time siguro na pumasok na yung team sa finals,” he expressed. “Kasi ilang taon na rin na yun ang gusto ng management pero hindi nagagawa yung past conferences. Siguro konting swerte pa baka pumasok sa Finals ngayon hopefully by Saturday magawa na namin.”
BanKo has won all matches against Ateneo this conference, but veteran spiker Dzi Gervacio said they still need to keep the pressure on.
“Isa sa mga goal namin as a team is to reach the finals. Last conference, top three kami. Dapat umangat kami this conference,” Gervacio said.
“Kailangan magtulungan kami sa loob. Hindi kami pwedeng umasa kila coach sa kung anong nakita nila,” she added.
“We have to learn right away. Volleyball is a game of momentum and you have to adjust right away. You have to recognize things right away and find solutions.”
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