WITH a fully intact roster, Far Eastern University has begun moving onwards.
The Lady Tamaraws claimed a huge scalp to begin its UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball campaign by taking down reigning silver medalist University of Santo Tomas, 25-19, 16-25, 25-14, 25-20.
Returning head coach Tina Salak, who has been in and seen this decades-old rivalry since its inception, was gifted a win as big as can be in her Morayta coaching comeback.
Making Salak’s victorious return possible was ace spiker Gerz Petallo with a sharp two-way game for the green-and-gold with 15 points on eight attacks, five blocks, and two aces.
UST stumbles out of the gates
Even with the addition of decorated middle blocker-turned-spiker Marga Altea, the Golden Tigresses' offseason injury bug left troubling voids to their title-reclamation bid.
Not even reigning top rookie Angge Poyos could carry the scoring load alone, as Altea and mainstay aces Reg Jurado and Pia Abbu continue to learn taking on an even bigger burden.
Safe to say, the first act of college volleyball’s dynastic archrivals this season was a tale of lopsided sets and scoring streaks — one that saw team chemistry and familiarity claim a statement victory over a young, hurting team that made last season’s finals.
Even as FEU already had a foot on the door of last year's finals, going through much-needed character development over the span of multiple preseason competitions and training camps armed the Lady Tamaraws with the confidence to take anyone in the UAAP field down.
"Siyempre character development kasi hindi po talaga tayo magi-stop du'n (sa nagawa namin last year). Kahit po kung saan ka na aabot, hinding-hindi ka dapat mag-stop na mag-grow so gusto ko lang po mag-grow, maging mature pa sa game," said Petallo.
"Nakakatulong 'yun kasi siyempre, hindi po talaga nawawala 'yung pressure sa game. Kaya kailangan talagang unahin din muna 'yung (team bago) sarili para mag-continue na mag-contribute."
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
