Ateneo de Manila University head coach Oliver Almadro admitted that nerves of playing in the UAAP, the biggest stage in Philippine collegiate sports, got to his players in their Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament opener on Saturday.
The Blue Eagles fell to defending champion National University in straight sets, 15-25, 20-25, 16-25, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
“UAAP is really different eh so no matter how big is the preseason, UAAP will be really the biggest tournament here in the Philippines,” shared Almadro after the match.
“I guess yun ang pumasok sa mind ng mga players ko and we have to adjust to it right away. We have to act on it as a team.”
Almadro and Ateneo had an eventful preseason run in the V-League Collegiate Challenge and Shakey’s Super League.
In the V-League, the Blue Eagles ran past seven other UAAP and NCAA schools all the way to the championship, with Faith Nisperos bagging the conference and finals MVP awards.
On the other hand, Ateneo finished fifth in the 18-team cast of SSL.
The decorated tactician said that his wards may be thinking “too far right away” in just their first game of a long season that would see each team play at least 14 games.
“After the game, I just told them na we have to get the moment first. Don’t look at the endpoint right away, don’t look too far right away. Just think of the process first one game at a time or rather nga sabi ko, ‘One set at a time’,” said Almadro, who also handles Petro Gazz in the Premier Volleyball League.
“I guess yun ang naging problem namin kanina. We’re too stiff, we cannot react right away to what’s happening because we’re thinking ahead.”
Glances of brilliance were shown though by the Blue Eagles late in the match when they fell into a deep 24-11 hole.
Ateneo managed to string five consecutive points before the Lady Bulldogs finally secured the win due to a service error by Nisperos.
And that version of the Blue Eagles is the Ateneo Almadro wants.
“I guess yung sa huli, it’s them wanting it. Nakita nila na oops, we have to do it,” said Almadro.
