Despite the uncertainty surrounding the status of team captain Gerzel Petallo, Tin Ubaldo remains confident that Far Eastern University has the depth to weather the storm.
The veteran setter believes the Lady Tamaraws’ next wave of outside hitters is ready to step up should Petallo miss time in the second round of the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
Petallo suffered an apparent right shoulder injury following a collision with libero Marga Encarnacion at the 16-15 mark of the third set during FEU’s clash against University of Santo Tomas on Saturday afternoon at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Ubaldo later revealed that Petallo has yet to receive an official diagnosis, but the team captain was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for an X-ray.
“I feel like ready naman yung next na outside [hitters] na papalit kay Gerz. Hindi naman sa hindi siya big thing — kailangan din naman namin si Gerz. Pero ready naman ang second stringers at mga nakaline-up na spikers sa team,” Ubaldo told reporters postgame.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Petallo’s absence proved pivotal as FEU saw its three-game winning streak snapped, dropping into a tie for third place with UST. Both squads now hold identical 4-3 win-loss records at the end of the first round.
Still, Ubaldo remains optimistic that the Lady Tamaraws’ wing spikers coming off the bench — led by Lovely Lopez, Alyssa Devosora, and Melody Pons — can rise to the challenge once the second round begins.
“Sa tingin ko, opo, lalo na yung kapalitan ni Gerz na si Lovely. Feel ko talagang kayang-kaya niyang saluhin yung role na binibigay ni Gerzel sa [starting six],” the fifth-year playmaker explained.
If Petallo is forced to miss time, FEU will need a collective effort from Lopez and the rest of its rotation to keep its Final Four hopes alive in a tightly-contested UAAP women’s volleyball field.
Standing in the Lady Tamaraws’ path are league-leading De La Salle University (6-0), defending champion National University (5-1), UST, as well as Adamson University and the University of the Philippines (both at 3-3) — all eager to strengthen their own postseason bids in the second round.
For Ubaldo, however, the fight is far from over.
“Silver lining ay first round pa lang, and yung standing namin hindi talaga siya yung wala nang pag-asa. Parang kahit though bad loss talaga, pero may chance pa naman kami para makabawi,” she said.
“Tulad ng sabi namin, hindi pa naman kami patay.”
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Tin Ubaldo believes that FEU’s bench will be ready to step up if Gerzel Petallo is out due to injury 🏐 #ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/NB0m8Cjvj8
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