BY Gwen Bergado
FROM a team on the rise last season to losing its head coach, first lieutenant, and top spiker and setter, University of the East has been projected to be underdogs in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament.
But in front of 6,320 people in Mall of Asia Arena this Saturday, the Allan Mendoza-coached squad proved just about everybody wrong by pushing the University of the Philippines to the limit before bowing out in five sets.
READ: UP braves through five-set scare from 11-player UE
While the set scores of 18-25, 19-25, 26-24, 25-13, and 13-15 say otherwise, the Lady Warriors actually won big - just not on the win column.
"Highlight lang din sa'min yung crowd, dun din kami na-hype," said libero Angelica Reyes, referring to the majority of the crowd who were actually just waiting for the highly-anticipated University of Santo Tomas-Far Eastern University showdown to commence.
"Siguro, na-feel nila na, 'Shucks, 11 lang 'tong mga batang 'to, pero nilalaban nila."
Indeed, as the audience in general were just waiting to cheer on their Golden Tigresses or Lady Tamaraws, both semifinalists from last season, they couldn't help but get behind the ladies from Recto, who had just 11 players on their official roster and had just nine in action for the season-opener.
"This is so much more than in-expect ko sa lalaruin nila. In spite of everything that happened to us, 'di kami naging down," said Mendoza, who was unceremoniously thrust into the head coaching chair following the exits of Jerry Yee then Obet Vital.
"Ngayong araw, sobrang panalo kami kasi nakuha namin yung respect ng crowd. Dun kami mas naging motivated kasi 'di namin sila ka-school, pero sa'min sila naka-support."
Add to that the departures of ace spiker Casiey Dongallo and captain-setter Kizzie Madriaga and it was crystal clear that, funnily enough, UE was the underdog to fellow cellar-dweller UP.
And who doesn't love an underdog?
Lady Warriors not satisfied with winning over crowd
Make no mistake, though, the Lady Warriors are also ruing their close-but-not-quite come-from-behind win.
"We're so happy naka-fifth set kami, pero ayun nga, sayang. Meron pa rin kaming piece na nasasaktan kami, lalo na ngayon, first game. Napakaimportante para sa amin na manalo," said Reyes, who provided 25 excellent digs and 11 excellent receptions.
The good news is that there are 13 games to go - in the elimination round, at least - and the red-and-white has more than enough time to win with the crowd and on the win column.
And their defensive specialist knows that full well, too. “We’re not yet done, may Round 2 pa,” she said.
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