By Angel Joyce C. Basa

Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws prevailed in a four-set thriller against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses, 25-19, 16-25, 25-14, 25-20, to open the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 women's volleyball tourney today, February 15, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

As early as the first set, the green-and-gold squad gained dominance over UST by consistently putting up points until the second time out, 10-6.

The Golden Tigresses then started picking up the Lady Tamaraws’ pace to tie the set at 11-11. Fortunately, FEU remained solid with their attacks and back-to-back block points from bench player Mitzi Panangin to finish at 25-19.

During the second set, the Tina Salak-led squad struggled to produce successful points with only Faida Bakanke scoring nine points off of the whole set score, 16-25.

Come third set, the Morayta-based volleybelles took charge once again, kickstarted by libero Margarett Encarnacion scoring the first point off a well-placed attack.

The Lady Tamaraws continued their run with Bakanke, Asis, and Player of the Game Gerzel Petallo scoring the last five points of the 11-point-lead set together, 25-14.

FEU tried to pull off a similar turnout in the fourth set but UST forced a late deadlock at 19-all. 

Even then, Jazlyn Ellarina’s three-point output on the last few rallies and an error from the España squad paved the way for FEU to take the win, 25-20.

In the post-game conference, head coach Tina Salak dismissed the struggles that the team faced during the second set as mere first-game jitters.

“Siguro may mga jitters din, katulad nu’ng sinasabi na identity, baka nawala lang in a bit pero nakuha din ‘yung sarili, ‘yung ganu’n lang. Pero at the end of the day, trinabaho namin ‘tong first game na ‘to (I guess there were jitters, such as the identity as they call it, maybe we lost it for a bit but we also regained it. At the end of the day, we worked for this first game),” she recalled.

Four Lady Tamaraws produced double digits with Bakanke leading at 16 points, followed by Petallo, Asis, and Tagaod with 15, 14, and 10 markers, respectively.

During the same interview, Petallo gave credit to the whole team's effort in getting their first win.

“Talagang teamwork po talaga, hindi po isa lang, hindi lang dalawa lang ‘yung nagbubuhat po ng team, [kung hindi] kami po lahat nagko-contribute. ‘Yun po ‘yung pinaka-big factor kaya po kami nanalo (It's really the teamwork, it's not just one player or two that carry the team, but it’s all of us who contribute. That's the biggest factor on why we won),” she stated.

Meanwhile, Ellarina highlighted the trust that the team had in her despite only entering the third set as a converted middle blocker on her first game for FEU in the UAAP.

“Sobrang laking factor nu’ng tiwala [at] ‘yung support system na nakuha ko sa mga coaches and sa mga teammates ko na, ‘yun nga, kahit third set ako pinasok, ‘yung tiwala nila [sa akin] is buong-buo so parang ako, bakit ako magda-doubt sa sarili ko, eh ‘yung buong team nga pinagkakatiwalaan ako? (The trust and the support system I had from the coaches and my teammates is a really big factor that even though I only entered the third set, their trust in me is still there so I thought, why should I doubt myself when the whole team trusts me?),” she said.

With a win to start the season, the Lady Tamaraws are looking to build a streak against the University of the Philippines on Wednesday, February 19, at Filoil EcoOil Center in San Juan City.

(Photo by Zedrich Xylak Madrid/FEU Advocate)