By Dwyane Harry L. Cabrera

Despite being named the first Collegiate Press Corps University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 Men’s Volleyball Player of the Week (POW) last February 24, Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraw Dryx Saavedra stayed dedicated in not letting their efforts go to waste while providing dependable leadership as a senior.

“Always ko Iang iniisip na dapat hindi masayang lahat ng pagod ko umpisa off-season, kaya hangga’t kaya ko [ipakita] ‘yung best ko is pipilitin ko. Also, senior na din ako sa team so dapat isa ako sa masasandalan ng bawat isa (I always aim that none of my hard work since the off-season goes to waste. As long as I can still give my best, I’ll keep on pushing myself. Also, now that I am a senior, I should be someone that the team can rely on),” the Tamaraw athlete shared in an online interview with FEU Advocate.

Saavedra topped the charts by posting 37 spikes off a 46.8-percent success rate and an average of 14 markers that fueled the Morayta-based squad in their first three games.

Banking on their strong start, the green-and-gold team handed straight-set losses to De La Salle University behind the POW’s steady production of 16 points off of 15 attacks and one block.

Riding on their momentum, FEU swept University of the East, where Saavedra unleashed 11 points built on nine attacks and two blocks.

To cap off his performance, the opposite spiker posted 15 points built on 13 attacks, one ace, and one block in a four-set battle against defending champs National University.

With the season underway, the co-captain emphasized that individual honors were never their goal.

“All throughout the whole year kasi ng training before the UAAP, kahit isang beses hindi namin pinag-usapan ‘yung about sa individual awards kasi main goal namin every game is mapakita ‘yung best namin sa loob ng court na nagtutulungan. Dapat total effort ng lahat every game (All throughout the entire year of training before the UAAP, we never once talked about individual awards because our main goal in every game is to show our best on the court by helping each other. It has to be a total team effort every game),” he shared.

Saavedra also shared his ambition to show his best and win a championship before he graduates.

“Personal goal ko Iang kasi is mapakita lang lagi best ko,na more maturity pa sa loob ng court, and siyempre, mag-champion bago mag-graduate (My personal goal is to always show my best and to show more maturity inside the court, and of course to become a champion before I graduate),” he said.

Saavedra and the Morayta-based squad are now on a 5-0 win-loss record and are looking to continuously solidify their standing against University of the Philippines this Sunday, March 8, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

(Photo by Ma. Louela Luna/FEU Advocate)