What other teams might have taken as a loss, the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws used as an opportunity to improve.
FEU have broken into their first PVL Women’s Collegiate Conference Finals since 2014 — and knowing that they made it with team captain Bernadeth Pons and starting libero missing four games, only makes the run more impressive.
In Game One of the Finals, however, FEU struggled against an intact National University Lady Bulldogs. They had several chances to extend the match, but their immaturity showed in the errors they gave up late in the match.
FEU head coach George Pascua emphasized the importance of limiting their errors, especially without their best scorer and defender in Pons.
“Sabi ko sa kanila, noong last na kalaban namin NU, umabot sa thirty-five ang errors natin,” Pascua stressed. “Without Pons, nasa twenty-seven. Sabi ko sa kanila, kung nabawasan natin ‘yung errors natin para ma-compensate ‘yung wala si Pons, malaking bagay sana ‘yun. ‘Yung crucial points noong dulo, dapat sa amin ‘yun.
“Sa mindset lang talaga nagkulang.”
Still, Pascua admitted that he was satisfied with what the young Lady Tamaraws showed. Former bench players like Czarina Carandang and Jeanette Villareal have been performed admirably in Pons’ absence.
“Pinakita naman nila ‘yung kaya nila. Nangyayari lang talaga na sa dulo nagkukulang,” expressed Pascua.
As Pons and Atienza get the job done on the sandcourt, Pascua trusts that the other Lady Tams can do the same on taraflex.
“Pero, alam kong magiging mas matibay kami sa darating na Game Two and, hopefully, sa Game Three,” said the first-year Lady Tamaraws head coach.
“Same din noong nangyari sa amin nung semis. Kailangan lang namin matuto sa mga pagkakamali namin.”
