Defending champions University of Santo Tomas may be one of the consensus favorites in the UAAP Season 82 Men’s Beach Volleyball tournament, but Tiger Spiker Jaron Requinton says otherwise.
“Parang underdog po kami ngayon.”
Requinton has a point, though.
After all — besides the fact that veterans Jude Garcia and Kevin Hadlocon of FEU, and James Natividad of National U are still in the hunt for the beach volleyball crown — UST are banking on a team loaded with sophomores from top to bottom.
“So, sa mga kalaban namin, si kuya Brian [Bagunas] lang po ang nawala. So parang underdog po kami ngayon kasi sophomores lang po kami,” Requinton reiterated.
Second-year student-athletes Requinton and his new partner Rancel Varga, as well as Emfram Dimaculangan, now have the responsibility of continuing the storied beach volleyball program of UST.
In retrospect, the Tiger Spikers had at least one veteran spiker in the mix to patrol the sands over the past couple of seasons with the likes of KR Guzman and Krung Arbasto.
But while there is a gaping hole for a veteran presence in the youth-laden team, Requinton remains optimistic. He believes he and his brothers-in-arms are capable of defending UST’s throne — especially given their buildup for this season.
“Mas pukpok po yung training namin kasi yun nga po, defending champion po kami kaya hindi easy-easy,” bared Requinton, who steered UST to the throne in his rookie season alongside the then-graduating Arbasto. “Think positive lang po kami na kahit underdog kami this year, kailangan namin manalo.
“Underdog kami by word pero by game, ‘di kami underdog.”
On the opening day of the UAAP beach volleyball tournament last Sunday, the Tiger Spikers wasted no time proving that they will not back down from mature competition.
Pitted against Natividad and his NU Bulldogs, Requinton and Varga displayed will and composure, eking out a come-from-behind stunner to raise the curtains to their title-defense bid.
The duo then buckled down to business in the afternoon session, earning a straight-set victory over the University of the East for a rousing 2-0 start.
Requinton and company may relatively be at a disadvantage in terms of playing experience on the collegiate sands. But their performance last Sunday only showed that there is no shortage of desire for victory for the young, yet lethal troika of UST.
“Tibay lang talaga ng puso. Kasi yun lang naman yung kalaban, puso tsaka kung paano ka dumiskarte sa court, na kahit sino ang kalaban niyo or kahit magaling talaga, puso lang,” Requinton said.
“Gaya po sa game namin [against NU], halos last na yung kalaban parang yun yung sabi ko sa kaniya, pusuan lang natin. Yun nakakapit po kami, nanalo pa po.”
