La Salle-EcoOil’s once-promising campaign quickly spiraled into disappointment.
The Green Oilers seemed to have struck oil with a blazing start, winning their first four games in the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference.
The team’s performance had positioned them as strong semifinal contenders.
Their high-octane performance – which included dominant victories over Martelli Meats, Chichi DHTSI, and D’Navigators Iloilo – had them cruising as favorites to secure a semifinal spot, with no signs of slowing down.
However, La Salle ran out of gas midway into the preliminaries. It dropped consecutive games against eventual semifinalists Cignal, FEU-DN Steel, Criss Cross, and Savouge to bow out of contention.
While it was disappointing to exit the tournament early after such a promising start, Green Oilers head coach Jose Roque chose to focus on the positives.
He noted that the experience highlighted areas that need improvement ahead of their UAAP campaign.
(C) Spikers Turf Images
“Somehow disappointing in a sense na ‘di kami nakapasok sa Final Four, pero hoping na with all our losses eh may natutunan kami. Lahat ‘yun dadalhin namin preparing for the UAAP,” said Roque.
“Ah maganda [na nakita na namin]. Gaya ng sabi ko, mangyari na lahat ngayon, ‘wag lang pagdating ng UAAP. So somehow, pwede mong sabihin on a positive side na at least marami kaming natutunan. Pangalawa, ‘yung learnings namin, ma-carry over namin sa UAAP.”
Roque noted that the return of seniors Noel Kampton, Vince Maglinao, and Nathaniel Del Pilar introduced adjustments that the team needed to navigate.
The trio were absent during their silver medal run in the V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge.
While their reintegration posed challenges to the team’s chemistry, he emphasized that it was a necessary process in building a stronger, more cohesive unit ahead of the UAAP season.
“Tingin ko somehow ‘yung bonding mismo ng team eh. ‘Yung chemistry kailangan ma-improve since naglaro na ‘yung mga seniors, medyo nagkakapaan pa sila Noel [Kampton], Vince [Maglinao], at Nath [Del Pilar] with the setters so medyo gamayan pa,” said Roque after the team concluded their campaign with a win over VNS last Sunday.
“Siguro ano lang, more on communication, hindi kasi halos naguusap pagdating sa game eh. So siguro ‘yun nga, dahil tagal din nilang ‘di nakasama ‘yung team eh so siguro more time to build ‘yung connection nila.”
