Mum after losing in Game One of the UAAP Season 81 Women’s Volleyball Finals, Ateneo head coach Oliver Almadro was still reluctant to talk the media after the Lady Eagles survived Game Two and forced a do-or-die match for the title.
He was, however, still ready to offer quick praise for his players.
“We won with hard work, with faith and courage. That’s it. ‘Yun lang talaga.
“We really won with hard work, our faith and our courage, [they] won for us this game. This game, it was given to us by the Lord. So we have to keep the momentum, and keep the faith,” Almadro said.
With only Kat Tolentino in double-digits in Game One, Ateneo pulled big contributions from graduating captains Maddie Madayag and Bea De Leon. The pair tallied 17 and 13 points, respectively.
“It’s their faith. They really believe in the faith, they really believe in the system.
“Itinuro na sa kanila. Kailangan lang talaga i-recall and stick with it. They stuck together, yun ang pinaka-importante. Yun ang nakita ko. Kasi, it’s not me, it’s them. Sila ang nag-trabaho,” Almadro said of his seniors.
Still, Almadro was disheartened to see UST’s ace and Season 81 Rookie of the Year Eya Laure injured during Game Two.
This was the second time a player went down against Ateneo. Earlier in the season, UP’s Isa Molde suffered an ankle sprain in their second round outing.
“Ever since naman, ‘di ba na-injure si Molde?
“We always pray na walang ganoon. What’s important is, dito sa huddle namin, we prayed for her, na hindi grabe. Kasi of course, mas maganda pa rin yung walang nasasaktan,” the first-year women’s volleyball head coach confessed.
For Game Three, Almadro kept it simple.
“We will just keep the faith and keep the momentum up.”
