It comes as no surprise that Far Eastern University (FEU), bronze medalists in the previous UAAP men’s volleyball tournament, have carried their momentum into the V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge.
Although the Tamaraws faced a crushing reverse-sweep loss to Perpetual last Wednesday, they quickly bounced back.
They secured a decisive sweep against the reigning UAAP champions, National University (NU), and followed up with four-set victories over Ateneo and University of Santo Tomas (UST). This impressive performance has placed them in second place with a 3-1 record.
Despite this success, head coach Ed Orcullo has urged his team to stay grounded and avoid complacency.
After the Tamaraws’ 25-18, 25-18, 25-23 sweep of the Bulldogs, Orcullo emphasized the importance of continuous effort and focus.
“Yung game kasi natin talagang kahit sino katapat mo, ttrabahuin mo. Yung boost na sinasabi natin, hindi kasi pwede mawala ‘yon eh. Dapat kahit ano mangyari, kailangan trabahuin mo maigi,” Orcullo stated.
He further highlighted the need for the team to seize every moment and stay present.
“Ang pinanghahawakan natin ay yung seizing the moment, kung ano yung araw ngayon, dapat trabahuin maigi kasi bukas ibang araw na naman. Kung ano yung ngayon, dapat maging present tayo,” he added.
The Tamaraws are determined to achieve their championship goals, especially with a highly anticipated match against the reigning V-League champions, De La Salle University, on the horizon.
Despite comfortably winning the first two sets in their match against NU, FEU’s vulnerabilities were exposed in the third set, underscoring the importance of thorough preparation for the upcoming showdown with the Green Spikers.
“Tulad kanina yung atake, yung blocking, yung receiving, yung chance ball, yung mga unforced errors, paano nangyayari ‘yon ‘eh everyday ginagawa naman, pero pag dating sa match, nageerror ka pa rin. Ang dami pa kailangang ayusin pa,” Orcullo noted.
He also reminded his players that their work is far from finished, regardless of their standings.
“Hindi natatapos [ang trabaho] sa ganda ng standings ‘eh. Trabaho lang sa amin, kumbaga samin, pukpok lang ng pukpok hangga’t sa marating yung pinakadulo ng tagumpay na gusto natin pareho-pareho,” he concluded.