The University of the Philippines Lady Maroons have looked far from their solid form in the Shakey’s V-League.
The young Lady Maroons made the UAAP Final Four for the first time in nearly a decade just a few months ago. So far, UP has faltered in their first two SVL matches, unable to win a single set against.
Head coach Jerry Yee attributes most of their struggles to a late lineup adjustment. A week before the tournament, UP’s starting setter Jewel Lai was removed from the lineup due to academic reasons. The Lady Maroons have had to adjust to backup setter Mae Basarte and, so far, Yee has liked how his team has accommodated to the new playmaker.
“Meron akong problema sa setter, so nangyari ang changes a few days before yung first game namin,” Yee rued. “After a week of practice, wala pa nga sa practice si Meanne (Basarte), sa Baguio namin pinag-practice, medyo bumilis naman kami as compared sa first game.”
“Maganda naman yung kalaban, Air Force naman yun, kahit paano, di naman masyadong binugbog kami. Good na ako doon. I see improvements.”
Yee cited UAAP Rookie of the Year Isa Molde, who was seen crying out of the dugout after the loss, as an example.
“Pinagalitan ko eh. Di ako contented sa effort lately. Parang masyado kaming lax. We have no reason kasi tapos na yung exams. Siguro nag-low din kami,” Yee explained his team’s somber mood after the loss to the Jet Spikers.
“Ayokong ma-fall siya (Molde) sa complacency. Ayokong umakyat sa isip niya na lagi sya in-iinterview, laging nabibigyan ng gift ng fans, paborito siya ng lahat. Paminsan-minsan, may mga lessons na nakakaiyak probably. Ako na lang ang kontrabida,” Yee continued about Molde.
“Basically, walang sugarcoating, ayokong complacent siya, ayokong pa-star siya. Walang star dito. Wala pa naman kaming naa-achieve, pag na-fall siya sa trap na akala niya, ang galing niya at di siya dapat mapagalitan, ako na lang ang kontrabida.”
For a team favored to make a gigantic leap in the UAAP next season, Yee sees a plethora of areas the Lady Maroons need to improve on
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“Malayo. Yung target natin sa UAAP, what we want to achieve is kung pa-top four lang ulit, walang iiyak, walang papagalitan, kuntento tayo sa mga kinikilos natin. Pero hindi, may gusto tayong habulin which is improvement from our last year’s finish,” Yee furthered. “Yun ang habol natin. Pag nag-finish kami ng maganda last year and this year, mas may pressure sa amin.”
“If we beat that, we have to beat that the next year, and so on. Progression ang gusto natin. Kung walang improvement, magagalit tayo. Ayaw natin yun.”
