MANILA, Philippines – There have been lots of shocking results in this Reinforced Conference of the Shakey’s V-League.
The UP Lady Maroons fell to UST to start out the week. That isn’t to say that it was a fluke win for the Golden Tigresses. They have been one of the more pleasant revelations in the competition. They can actually make a case for finally putting it all together after years of underachieving. I thought that the match would go four or five sets.
While UP isn’t playing with a complete lineup as they are missing starting setter Mae Basarte, they still have a loaded roster. Rose Cailing has done pretty well for herself stepping in and playing calmly. I think UP head coach Jerry Yee is also playing a lot of his bench players like Genn Layug and Jessma Ramos aside from Cailing.
No excuses though as Yee was still upset with the play of his team and at one point he issued a curt statement during a huddle. He wasn’t a happy man at that moment.
Last Tuesday, October 12, the Bureau of Customs Transformers, riding a two-game win streak sans its Thai imports, including one match minus Pau Soriano and Lilet Mabbayad, lost to BaliPure in three sets.
I’m going to make a case for all three squads with imports losing their first matches. Technically, it was also the first for their Thai players so there was an element of big game familiarity. The Purest Water Defenders also somewhat defended former teammate Alyssa Valdez well during that match.
BOC came back on Saturday, October 15, to throttle hitherto undefeated UST in three. The Transformers played better with their four players back in harness and with better ball distribution.
I thought that UST looked tentative in the face of a veteran crew and old nemesis, Valdez, who previously put the big hurt on them with Ateneo and BaliPure. Only backup setter Alina Bicar and returning open spiker Cherry Rondina played well.
The Golden Tigresses can look at the bright side. They know they still have to work on some kinks and that they still have a darn good team; sweep aside.
Closing out the week was UP’s second shocking three-set loss this time against Pocari Sweat. Granted Nicole Tiamzon was unavailable as she had her NSTP obligations to attend to, this team is still good enough. There were a lot of uncoordinated attacks where players simply whacked the ball without proper regard to placement. At one point, Yee opted to play third string setter Joseah Thai underscoring the pre-tournament objective of giving valuable exposure to his young players. But he only did so when he saw some of the veterans underperforming.
Ironically, the Lady Warriors struggled as well although import Breanna Mackie was a handful as she scored 23 points while second string libero Rica Jane Enclona performed very well after Melissa Gohing went out with an injury in the first set.
If ever, this Reinforced Conference has been a surprising one. You can’t say that matches, even before they are played, have been decided. The five-set come from behind win by BOC over Laoag during opening week should say something about this most unpredictable tourney.