The University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons bid goodbye to UAAP Season 85 with a pair of tough losses against semifinalist University of Santo Tomas (UST) last Sunday, April 30 at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
‘Rocky season, not a failure’
The UP Men’s Volleyball Team played with guts and glory in their final game but fell to second-ranked UST Golden Spikers, 24-26, 25-18, 25-20, 25-23.
The maroons concluded the elimination round with a 1-13 tally, the same record they finished with in their last full campaign back in Season 81.
Despite a lackluster campaign, ace player Louis Gamban pushed back against the notion that the season was a failure. For the team captain, it’s a lesson learned.
“Yung season na ito, hindi ko siya tinitingnan na failure kami kasi isa lang panalo namin or kahit wala kaming panalo but nire-ready kami para sa next season,” Gamban said.
“Itong season more on learning experience. Alam kong binigay namin. Kapag naglalaro ako, yung puso ko nandun sa laro. Walang regret dun eh kapag alam mong binigay mo best mo.”
After the maroons landed the first gut punch, the dynamic duo of Ranz Cajolo and Gamban found their rhythm to propel UP’s offense early on and establish a four-point lead, 14-10.
The Golden Spikers quickly responded, digging themselves out of the hole with an array of attacks from Josh Ybañez to knot the match at 21-all.
Both squads traded errors from thereon until a crucial block by Angelo Lipata followed by a frontline kill by Gamban put the set away for UP, 26-24.
The fierce play of the first set spilled over early into the next frame. However, when Emmanuel Advincula was stretchered off after twisting his knee off a bad landing, the maroons’ spirit took a blow.
“Ang hirap maglaro na may iniisip ka na teammate mo. Pinagpasa-Diyos na lang namin yung trauma na baka pag ako tumalon, sana safe yung landing,” Gamban lamented.
The seemingly low morale over the UP side made it easier for UST to ensure they would not be denied late.
Spurred on by Ybañez who came out firing on all cylinders, UST overtook the Diliman squad, 19 attacks to 11, to seal the slugfest at one set apiece.
UP showed promise in the third frame, recovering their high tempo at the start, but the Golden Spikers’ offense proved unstoppable, with Ybañez and Rey De Vega imposing their will from the wings.
Putting behind their third-set loss, the maroons rushed to a four-point cushion in the fourth set, 20-16.
However, it wasn’t enough to stall the España squad as Ybañez and Rainier Flor each clocked kills to cut down State U’s lead, 22-all.
Ybañez then drove home a down-the-line hit before Charlee Magpayo and De Vega delivered back-to-back blocks to send UST to match point, 24-22.
The Golden Spikers did not let the chance slip through their fingers as John Dedoroy nailed an off-the-block kill to complete the win in two hours and 10 minutes.
Gamban paced the loss with 16 points and nine digs, while Jaivee Malabanan contributed 12 markers and 19 receptions.
On the flip side, Ybañez led UST anew with 26 points from 21 attacks, three blocks, and two service aces.
“Ang naging kwento ng season namin [ay] very challenging. Nakita lang ng mga tao yung nangyari sa court, yung performance na medyo kinakapos palagi,” said head coach Rald Ricafort. He attributed the team’s rocky campaign to lack of preparation.
“Pero hindi naman namin madadahilan ‘yun dahil nandito na kami. Sayang lang ‘yung maraming games na pwede namin sana makuha. Solid core pa naman sila next year so hopefully maging okay.”
Down with a fight
With nothing to lose, the UP Women’s Volleyball Team went all out to force a five-set marathon against the UST Golden Tigresses, 25-21, 25-20, 22-25, 19-25, 15-6.
The Lady Maroons finished with a 1-13 win-loss record, a downgrade from last year’s 5-9 tally.
“‘Yung opportunity na makabalik sa UAAP, very thankful and blessed kasi gift ito sa aming mga coaches and players. ‘Yung performance, sobrang laki nung mga pagkukulang,” head coach Shaq Delos Santos reflected.
“Marami pang kailangan trabahuhin pero lahat naman nanggagaling diyan. Kailangan lang mag-focus sa next na mga gagawin namin and lesson learned na lang lahat ng nangyari sa amin this season.”
With the España squad up by two sets to none, Niña Ytang unloaded an off-the-block equalizer for State U late in the third set, 21-all.
This turned the tide for the maroon shirts as Alyssa Bertolano racked up two straight putaways before back-to-back errors by UST gifted UP the set, 25-22.
Photo by Ivy Ferrer
Building momentum from their crucial third-set win, the Lady Maroons came out with calculated offense early in the fourth canto.
Instant impact courtesy of bench player Pierre Abellana kept UST within striking distance, 19-21, but their crucial errors proved costly. Ethan Arce drilled a service ace to erase the Golden Spikers’ early two-set lead, 25-19.
However, when the Lady Maroons returned to court during the decisive fifth set, the odds seemed entirely against their favor.
UST rode on the shoulders of Eya Laure, the league’s leading scorer, as she ripped eight unanswered kills for a commanding 15-6 game-ender.
Season revelation Niña Ytang led the Lady Maroons with 17 points, while Steph Bustrillo added 14 markers.
Laure posted a game-high 28 points for UST, who will head into the Final Four as the fourth-seeded team with a 10-4 record.
“Nakakalungkot kasi hindi namin malabas kung ano ‘yung training namin. Sabi nga ni coach sinasayang lang namin ‘yung oras sa training kung hindi lang naman namin malabas,” said graduating setter Mai Sotomil, who dished out 16 excellent sets in her swan song.
