By Leiniel Santos and Andrei Barrantes

After receiving the first Collegiate Press Corps (CPC) University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 Men’s Volleyball Player of the Week award, Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraw Spiker Dryx Saavedra reinforced his commitment to the squad’s common goal amid their stellar 3-0 start to the men’s volleyball tournament.

“Siyempre happy po kasi as an athlete, mas lalong nakaka-motivate ‘pag nakakatanggap ka ng ganitong recognition. Pero siyempre, hindi lang diyan nagtatapos, madami pa kami gustong patunayan [nang] hindi iniisip kahit anong pansarili lang. Dapat always para sa team (Of course, I'm happy because as an athlete, receiving this kind of recognition is really motivating. But of course, it doesn't end here—we still have a lot to prove, not just for ourselves but for the team. It should always be for the team),” he said in an interview with FEU Advocate. 

Last season’s Best Opposite Spiker topped the best spikers and ranked third in the best scorers list with 42 spikes off a 48.8 success rate and an average of 15.3 points in the first three games.

During FEU’s season opener game against last season’s silver medalist University of Santo Tomas, the Tamaraw opposite hitter emerged as the second-best scorer for the green-and-gold squad with 13 points, all from attacks.

Saavedra followed that up by replicating his scoring output against a helpless University of the Philippines, who lost in straight sets. 

The POW then came up big in their win against defending champion National University (NU), where he had an impressive 20 points from 17 attacks and three blocks in just three sets.

According to the junior Morayta spiker, their biggest mental challenge is avoiding complacency, especially now that they stand as the only spotless team in the tournament. 

“Nasa taas na kami, eh, so alam ko mataas motivation ng lahat kasi nga magandang simula. Clear sa amin kung ano ‘yung goal namin this season. Hopefully, [continuous] lang kami sa magandang ginagawa ng bawat isa para sa team, lalo na mentally kasi bawal kami magsawa at mapagod sa haba ng season (We’re already at the top, so I know everyone is highly motivated because we started out great. It's clear to us what our goal is. And hopefully, our hard work continues throughout our lineup, especially since we cannot falter mentally despite the long season),” he added.

The marathon continues for the green-and-gold

Though the Morayta spikers already took down the defending champions and the Season 86 silver medalists within their first three-game stretch, there is still a long way to go for the top-seeded Tamaraws.

For men’s head coach Ed Orcullo, the team’s priority is longevity and their capability to deliver consistent performances until the final games of the second round.

“Again, ‘yung simula na ‘yan, talagang naka-prepare tayo doon. Ang pinag-uusapan kasi natin diyan kasi ‘yung nasa gitna ka, ‘tsaka ‘yung padulo… ‘Yun ang pinakalagi namin sinasabi sa isa’t isa na even sa coaches, walang titigil (Again, from the start, we were really prepared for that. What we're talking about here is when you're in the middle and nearing the end... That's what we always remind each other about, even the coaches—that no one should stop),” Orcullo said.

One thing that Coach Ed hopes to cultivate further is the team’s chemistry, especially with the new rookies onboard. 

As Orcullo elaborated, the team has been excellent in communicating their roles and what they bring to the table.

“Malinis lang siguro ‘yung usapan ng role ng bawat isa. Kaya siguro kung ano man ang nakataya doon, kung sino man ‘yung nandoon sa loob ng hardcourt, alam lang nila kung ano ‘yung role (Maybe it's just that everyone's roles are defined clearly. That's probably why, no matter what's at stake, whoever is on the court knows exactly what their role is),” he added.

Even though FEU ended the elimination round last season at the top of the standings, the Tamaraws still ended their campaign at NU’s mercy. With that, the Morayta-based squad will still have a long journey towards their goal of bringing home the gold medal.

Even so, the 3-0 start was a ‘baseline’ for Saavedra to at least have expectations of their capabilities this season.

“Sobrang nakakagaan ng pakiramdam kasi magandang simula ito para sa amin. Last game na panalo naman ay naging baseline din namin na may magandang kalalabasan ‘yung team ngayong season. Consistency lang talaga need ng team lalo na sa enjoyment every game (It feels really uplifting because this is a great start for us. Our last win also served as our baseline, showing that the team has a promising outcome this season. The team really needs consistency, especially in enjoying every game),” Saavedra added.

After taking down two powerhouses in just the first week, Saavedra and the rest of the green-and-gold squad are off to a great start to their redemption season. Their conquest resumes on Sunday, March 2 against Ateneo de Manila University at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

(Photo courtesy of the UAAP Media Team)