For the past four season, the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws have consistently made the Final Four, but never got further.
Their proverbial hump has always been the DLSU Lady Spikers, champions of the past two UAAP seasons and finalists in the last nine.
Though FEU has won and lost matches against other teams, the Lady Tamaraws consider the Lady Spikers to be a barometer of their development due to their reputation.
Which is why of their most recent losses to the defending champions have been excrutiating. For three consecutive elimination round matches, the Lady Tamaraws have pushed La Salle to five sets. On Sunday, FEU was even up 2-1 in sets before crumbling in the endgame.
It was obvious for them: they still lack the experience that the Lady Spikers have in bunches.
“Parang kulang talaga sa experience ‘yung team pagdating sa ganoong labanan,” said FEU’s graduating captain Bernadeth Pons who scored 16 points to go with 16 receptions on Sunday.
“Tapos sila champion team pa sila, so siyempre parang pagdating sa dulo, kailangan talaga mentally tough ang player. Yun ang naging kulang namin.”
“Yung experience ng kalaban, lumabas noong huli, ‘yung championship experience, which is ‘yun ‘yung kulang sa amin,” lamented Pascua. “Then hindi na-sustain ‘yung game plan namin kasi nga nagkaroon ng individual errors ‘yung team. Thankful kami na nagawa namin ng two sets, so hopefully by next game namin, kailangan maging consistent.
“Consistency lang naman ang kulang sa amin, tsaka experience.”
Still, the Lady Tamaraws have their eyes on making the Final Four and maybe even sneaking in to the top two for a twice-to-beat advantage.
“Hoping pa rin kami (twice-to-beat), kasi nga ito, naging effective naman. ‘Yung consistency nga lang yung talagang kailangan namin.
“Kasi sabi ko nga, ang magpapatalo sa amin, kung ano ‘yung strength namin, ganoon din sa kalaban. Kasi sa kalaban, ang pinanalo nila ay strength nila. Ang kinatalo din namin, yung strength din namin,” Pascua closed.
