Second seed University of Santo Tomas will head to the UAAP Season 85 men’s volleyball best-of-three finals with much confidence.
Despite having to face an unbeaten National University team that has not lost a single UAAP game since the opening match of Season 81, the Golden Spikers are betting on themselves against all odds.
UST made quick work of Far Eastern University in the second phase of the stepladder semifinals, 25-18, 25-22, 25-21, despite missing head coach Odjie Mamon and opposite spiker Jayrack Dela Noche who were part of the Philippine men’s national volleyball team in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
Come Game 1 of the finals on Wednesday, assistant coach Benjamin Mape shared that the Golden Spikers will have their full arsenal.
“We are expecting na si Coach Odjie dadating na ng madaling araw ng Wednesday so by Game 1, kumpleto na yung grupo namin even the coaching staff at saka yung mga players kumpleto na,” said Mape, who took charge during the games where Mamon was not around.
“Kaya medyo mas kumpyansa kami na maglalaro kami ng buo ngayon sa Game 1.”
UST remains unfazed by the fact that the Bulldogs are heavy favorites due to their unscathed record and ongoing 32-game winning streak.
Top spikers Josh Ybañez and Gboy De Vega believe that any team is beatable.
The Golden Spikers have beaten NU just last November in Game 2 of the V-League Collegiate Challenge best-of-three finals, 21-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-23, 15-12, and the leaders? Of course, it was Ybañez and De Vega.
“Syempre alam po naming kaya namin sila and they are beatable. Natatalo din sila,” said Ybañez, who is one of the top contenders for the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards.
“Yung mentality namin is no team here is unbeatable kahit kami natatalo kami all the more reason para magtraining kami ng mas intense at mas marami pang dapat pag-aralan para pagharap namin sa NU wala na kaming excuses na hindi namin naaral yung ganito ganyan. At least pagharap namin doon masasabi namin na ready kami,” added De Vega.
The Golden Spikers were able to take a set from the Bulldogs in both rounds but always lacked the endgame power to break through NU’s armor.
NU took a 25-20, 25-19, 19-25, 25-21 win in the first round before notching a 25-19, 22-25, 25-18, 25-21 victory in the second round.
“Kailangan namin pagkatiwalaan yung sistema ng coaches namin… at mas tapangan pa lalo and gawing inspirasyon yung mga talo namin sa kanila nung elimination round para mas pag-igihan at pagsikapan pa namin sa Finals,” closed Ybañez.
