Far Eastern University head coach Tina Salak had added motivation against De La Salle University on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
And it spread to her team as the Lady Tamaraws showed a gallant stand against the undefeated Lady Spikers, 28-30, 12-25, 26-28.
Salak going against La Salle head coach Ramil de Jesus for the first time in the collegiate league made her want it more.
“For me Coach Ramil being there malaki rin yung influence niya sa akin because sa Zobel kami galing eh,” said Salak, who led De La Salle Zobel to the UAAP Season 81 girls’ volleyball title.
“So malaki rin yung impact nya sa career ko at sa growth ko because I was under him last SEA Games so maraming natutunan.”
With their history, it was just normal for Salak to prove something against her mentor De Jesus.
The legendary Lady Spikers tactician just returned to the team’s bench during the start of the second round last Saturday – hence, he and Salak did not meet in the first round.
“Going against him, medyo inspired ako kasi gusto ko rin naman makalaban yung mentor ko no and maprove ko na pwede ako makasabay sa kanya and maging proud siya the way I handled my team,” added the FEU legend.
Even though they lost, Salak is proud of the way her wards fought, especially in the extended first and third sets.
And in that 30-28 first frame, the setter-turned-coach admitted that it was the coaching staff lapses that cost them that period.
With FEU at set point, 26-25, the team committed a rotational fault.
“Performance-wise syempre nanghinayang. Actually yung first set, coaches mistake talaga yun. Hindi kami nakapagfocus doon sa rotation error. Hindi ko pwedeng iblame yun sa mga bata because dapat yun naooversee namin.”
But this performance also proves the potential that the young Lady Tamaraws have.
“Yes definitely kahit marami kaming errors, marami kaming lapses pati sa coaches side. Going against one of the strongest teams dito sa UAAP and makapuntos kami ng isa malaking bagay na eh and makasabay pa kami sobrang nakikita ko yung potential ng FEU siguro two to three years from now kung magtuloy tayo then ito yung magandang baseline para sa amin.”
