MANILA, Philippines – After 13 straight losses dating back to the previous season, the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors finally tasted victory once again in a 5-set thriller against the Adamson Lady Falcons on Sunday, March 4.
The Lady Warriors now end the first round of the UAAP Season 80 Women's Volleyball tournament with one win and 6 losses.
When the Sunday match began, the previously-winless UE noticed that Adamson head coach Air Padda benched her usual starters Jema Galanza, Eli Soyud, and Chiara Permentilla.
The Lady Warriors felt they were "belittled."
"Walang team na mamaliitin talaga. Walang gano'n," said Shaya Adorador. "Kasi once na minaliit mo 'yan, doon lalabas 'yung laro ng isang team."
(There's really no team that should be belittled. There shouldn't be anything like that. Because once you belittle a team, that's when their game will really show.)
The Lady Warriors were motivated to bring their A game and win it for UE.
Kath Arado, the UAAP's top digger, made sure that she covered the floor to set up her teammates for a good play – also the product of their long hours of training.
"'Yun lang 'yung mas tumulak sa akin na kunin lahat ng bola. Walang lalapag na bola kasi iniisip ko rin talaga 'yung paghihirap namin sa past training namin," said Arado.
(That's what made me get all the first balls. No ball was going to go down because I was thinking of our hardships in our past trainings.)
"So sa isip ko, babalewalain ko lang ba 'yung paghihirap ng bawat kasama ko kung hindi namin ipapanalo 'yung game na ito?"
(So I was thinking, would I just throw away all the hardships that each of my teammates had to go through if we didn't win this game?)
Just into his second game with the Lady Warriors, UE board member and interim head coach Rod Roque also added that it was the obedience of the team that became key to winning the game.
"Kasi una, pag-take over ko, 'pag nagbigay ako ng instructions, susundin lang nila isang beses lang tapos balik naman ulit sila sa dati. Pero sa [last] practice namin tsaka 'yung game na ito, nakinig sila sa instruction namin kaya natutuwa ako," said Roque.
(At first, when I took over, when I gave instructions, they would only follow once and then go back to their old ways. But in our [last] practice and this game, they followed our instructions that's why I'm happy.)
"'Yung practice namin kahapon napakaganda! Ang ganda-ganda ng galaw nila kahapon. Sabi ko kahapon: 'Team! 'Pag ganito ang laro ninyo sa Linggo, panalo tayo!' Tama [ako]," he added.
(Our practice yesterday was so good! Their movements were so good yesterday. I said yesterday: "Team! If you play like this on Sunday, we'll win!" I was correct.)
With the trust built between the Lady Warriors and Roque, they're optimistic heading into their coming games, especially against their very next foe, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tigresses who skidded to their 3rd straight loss at the end of the first round.
UE and UST will open the second round on Wednesday, March 7, at the Filoil Flying V Centre.– Rappler.com