When the De La Salle University Lady Archers and the University of Santo
Tomas (UST) Tigresses met in this season’s first round last December 8,
2009, every volleyball fan was excited. After all, the Lady Archers
were the defending champions, and the Tigresses have just come from
successful campaigns in three off-season tournaments.
La Salle
eventually won the match in five sets, and prevailed in twelve of their
succeeding games. The Lady Archers were so authoritative especially in
the first round that they only lost two sets in that period, both coming
from UST.
The Tigresses, on the other hand, faced various
obstacles in the first round, including an upset from the Ateneo de
Manila Lady Eagles before the Christmas break. The Tigresses seemed to
be invigorated by that loss as they have never dropped a game since
then, including their second-round encounter against the Lady Archers
last Valentine’s day.
Coming into the Final Four with their
twice-to-beat incentives, La Salle and UST easily trounced their
opponents, the Adamson Lady Falcons and Ateneo, respectively, to arrange
this season’s clash of the titans.
La Salle, already one of the
most successful squads in the last decade, banks on its euphoric run
last year to motivate them coming into the finals.
“Our biggest
advantage in the series is the fact that we are the defending
champions,” La Salle mentor Ramil de Jesus said. “It will be painful if
anyone would take the crown from us.”
UST, on the other hand, is
hoping to continue its solid run in the second round going into the
championship.
“We are coming to the finals with high morale,” UST
Coach Shaq delos Santos said. “Hopefully, we will have another good
game.”
Lethal vs Terrific Despite losing Manilla
Santos, Michelle Datuin, and Celine Hernandez to graduation, the
Taft-based squad maintained its championship core. Team captain
Stephanie Mercado, Jacqueline Alarca, Charleen Cruz, Kaye Martinez, and
Melissa Gohing are hard-pressed to regain the title.
“Entering
the finals is just heartwarming,” Mercado said. “Expect us to become
more intensified in the finals.”
The Tigresses, on the other
hand, will be pinning their hopes on the returning Angeli Tabaquero,
skipper Aiza Maizo, Rhea Dimaculangan, Maika Ortiz, and Judy Ann
Caballejo.
“We are happy because our game is picking up,” Maizo
said. “We will give our best in the series.”
UST, however, will
be missing the services of libero Jessica Curato, who has been sidelined
by typhoid fever. She had been sick since the Valentine encounter
between the two squads.
The two teams will also be banking on
their four sensational rookies to deliver their biggest performances in
their young UAAP careers.
La Salle has the league’s top blocker
in Joanne Siy, and Abigail MaraƱo, who has been exceptional in the Lady
Archers' last two games.
“I get pressured at times,” MaraƱo
admitted. “But I will just do my best because the team has worked hard
to reach the finals.”
UST, on the other hand, will be relying on
the league’s tallest player, Din-Din Santiago, and Maruja Banaticla,
both of whom carried the UST High School squad to two straight UAAP
championships.
“I still get a little nervous because college
game is different from high school,” Santiago confessed. “But I will do
my best.”
“I will do my part. I want to show everyone that I am
not just a rookie,” Banaticla promised.
Ateneo, Adamson favor
USTLa Salle may be coming into the finals as the
first-seeded team, but the coaches from semifinalists Ateneo and Adamson
have picked UST to take the crown this year.
Losing a four-set
decision to the Lady Archers in the Final Four, the Lady Falcons weighed
in on the strengths of the players from both squads, and found the
Tigresses more dominant.
“I pick UST,” said Adamson coach
Minerva Dulce Pante. “Their players are better individually.”
Ateneo
coach Roger Gorayeb, whose squad lost to the Tigresses in the other
Final Four pairing, recognized UST’s spirited run in the second round as
their edge over La Salle in the Finals.
“They (the Tigresses)
are just playing better now,” Gorayeb remarked.
So which squad
will reign supreme? Will the Lady Archers be able to duplicate their
successful run in Season 71 this year? Or will the Tigresses complete a
grand slam and make 2009 to 2010 truly the Year of the Tiger?
The
women’s volleyball finals will begin on Wednesday at 4p.m.
David Mikael Taclino
Inyu Web Development and Design
Creative Writer