The young University of the Philippines Lady Maroons faced off with the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles for the first time in the UAAP.
Burdened by injuries, UP succumbed in straight sets as Ateneo strutted their championship form.
UP head coach, Jerry Yee, however, saw positives in their defeat. The usually-stern mentor complimented the way his team played in the first two sets.
“First two sets, although talo, sana ganoon lagi ‘yung nilalaro namin. Sabi nga ng marami, kailangan namin daanan ‘yung mga ganitong talo to improve,” Yee said.
Asked if he thought his players had been intimidated going up against the back-to-back champs, Yee scoffed at the notion.
“I’m very happy if intimidated sila and ganoon ‘yung nilaro nila, I’m okay with that,” Yee said, adding that he just wasn’t pleased with how his team finished the game.
“‘Yung third set lang, ayaw natin makita ‘yung mga ganoon. That’s how we looked like in Season 76 – nakakatawa ‘yung mga errors, natataranta kami, wala kami sa sarili. That is to be expected with rookies – yung consistency talaga wala.
Two of Yee’s main players, captain Kathy Bersola and rookie Justine Dorog, both played through shoulder injuries. Dorog had apparently worn out her shoulder through the course of the first two games, while Bersola first strained her shoulder in a pre-season tune up match.
Yee made proper adjustments, even slotting Nicole Tiamzon at setter to compensate for their lack of height.
“Siyempre hindi naman pwedeng hindi tayo mag-adjust. We have to roll without key players. We’ll work with what he have,” Yee closed.
The Lady Maroons will next face the Adamson University Lady Falcons on Wednesday, 4 p.m. at the FilOil Flying V Centre.
