The UP Lady Maroons accomplished the first upset of this year’s UAAP Volleyball season, taking their first win in a 4-set victory over UST. After the game, we caught up to a happy Nicole Tiamzon, who led her team with 19 points and 3 blocks in their win.
UP suffered a devastating loss to NU prior to this game, but for Tiamzon, she couldn’t afford to let the loss affect her.
“After the game, siyempre SOBRANG sayang. Nandun na eh pero di namin kinapitan. Pero pagbalik namin sa training nung Monday, inisip namin hindi pa naman tapos yung UAAP, nagsisimula pa lang kami, so di masama bumawi. Stay positive.”
Staying positive seemed to work, though, because they were able to overcome their heartbreaking loss and come out on top against UST.
“Masaya kasi ang tagal na rin. Tagal namin bago nanalo. Sobrang sayang din talaga ang last game namin. Kanina ang ginawa ko lang is focus lang talaga, instead na ma-down dahil dun sa last game, naging positive nal ang all throughout.”
Tiamzon thinks they still have a lot of room for improvement, especially on the team’s consistency. “Consistency first of all. Yung kapit, kasi yung second set amin na eh, pero nabitawan. Nandun pa rin yung kapit factor, wag papabayain, wag mag relax. Yan yung nawala sa amin sa NU eh. Nabloblock yung mind namin. Naging excited kasi kami siguro masyado last game para kunin yung panalo. Almost there. Pero ngayon nag relax lang kami. First 8, next 16, next 25.”
She’s hoping that this is the start of better things for the team. “Siguro ito na yung hudyat? Stepping stone. Dun na nagsisimula eh. Nanalo na kami, and walang masama manalo ulit.”
It doesn’t get any easier, however, since their next opponent will be former champions and last year’s runner-up, the DLSU Lady Spikers. This doesn’t seem to bother Tiamzon, as she’ll continue doing what she’s been doing. “Walang masama kung maglaro kami, kahit sila champions dati.”
