BLEACHERS BREW EST. MAY 2006

Someone asked me how my blog and newspaper column came to be titled "Bleachers Brew". It's like this, it's an amalgam of sorts of two things: The bleachers area in the stadium/arena where I used to sit when I would watch baseball, football, and basketball games and Miles Davis' great jazz album Bitches Brew. That's how it got culled together. I originally planned on calling it "The View from the Big Chair" that is a nod to Tears For Fear's second album, Songs from the Big Chair. So there.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Ateneo Men's Volleyball Match 4: Rarefied Air

Rarefied Air
Ateneo vs. FEU
25-19, 25-23, 25-16
by rick olivares

There were a little over a dozen people inside the gym yet it sounded like a big match was going on.

Inside, the Ateneo Men’s Volleyball Team was getting their collective butts chewed by its Head Coach Oliver Almadro. After leading the way in the recent Miranda Cup Volleyball Invitational Tournament, the team faltered in the stretch with poor play and a lack of cohesiveness.

Almadro read them the riot act and his voice reverberated throughout the cavernous Blue Eagle Gym. When he was done, the new coach (who served as an assistant to Ronald Dulay last year) thought he lost his team. Instead, heading into Wednesday, December 17, 2008, they were riding a three-game win skein and now they were up against last year's first runner-up Far Eastern University who were still a formidable crew even if they lost quite a few starters to eligibility.

When your team has been to the nether regions of sporting infamy (read: losing and losing badly at that), any undertaking like this is history.

They had not taken a set nor beaten FEU in a decade. They had not won four straight in more than a generation and they had not been a joy to watch since… their last match when they came back from behind to beat La Salle.

Almadro not only developed a proper and high impact training program for the team but the players were beginning to round out into their own.

Team captain AJ Pareja was heavily recruited to play for other big programs (one other team manager ridiculed the Ateneo team for not even having male models lined up) but he instead chose to go to Ateneo where he became the first ever recipient of a volleyball scholarship. Standing a tall six foot four, his spikes can be very devastating and with his height, he can be a force at the net. But instead he played below his potential.

With newfound focus and maturity, Pareja was not only leading his team in scoring but has been a legitimate MVP candidate. He’s learned better to find the right angles and trajectory to bombard foes who have been mostly unable to receive those powerful smashes of his.

I can’t tell you how good this feels,” he faltered at describing his feelings about the team’s standing. “But we’d like to keep this going.”

But for them to keep the win streak going, they needed to raise their desire and intensity on the court.

Playing at the Arena in San Juan, you might have confused the FEU team as the one ruling the leader board as they yelled, cheered, pumped their fists, and talked smack.

Almadro called time and asked them about their timidity on the court. It was a simple reminder to kick some butt and play some winning Ateneo volleyball. And the team responded with some superb defense and playmaking.

One of the keys to the team’s success has been the play of setter Ed Ortega. Now getting more minutes, he has been more vocal on the court calling out plays and setting up his teammates. But where he has been invaluable is his blocking at the net.

With Julborg Africa out on account of academics, Duane Teves has stepped into the starting six and provided thunderous production as an open spiker and with his serve that has made it difficult for opposing teams to receive and execute.

And another key weapon has been JR Intal. With Macky Limgenco and Mark Salvador having graduated, Almadro needed someone to step up. And he had a long talk with Intal.

The coach knew it wouldn’t be difficult to prod the third year player to take the challenge. “After all, I knew he came from a family of athletes and alam ko na gusto niya ng challenge,” said Almadro.

And Intal has responded with a game that has given the team a different dimension. His off-speed spikes and dinks are probably the most unorthodox and entertaining shots to see in college sports since Mark Cardona was lofting those hook shots for La Salle in the basketball tournament. They have been difficult to defend and anticipate. “It’s crazy as it has no spin to it,” marveled Ateneo Volleyball Program Head Sherwin Malonzo.

With Ortega, Teves, and Intal combining with Timmy Sto. Tomas, Pareja, and libero Vian Serranilla (and Xavier Senoren), Ateneo found their bearings and took the first set 25-19.

Tamaraws Coach George Pascua challenged his besieged team, "Finalists kayo last year. Pakita niyo!"

And the Morayta squad made a game of it as they forged a 23-all tie after a Teves spike off Kirk Beliran was ruled a side out. Almadro protested the check out that wasn’t called but he quickly regained his composure and sued for time. “Atin na ‘to. One stop. Receive lang na maganda and ibaon niyo na.

Intal responded with a block on FEU’s Jan Paglinawan who is a contender for Rookie of the Year 24-23 Ateneo.

On the next play, Intal against stopped FEU’s counter for the set point and a 2-set lead by Ateneo.

By the third set, Ateneo put on a clinical display of teamwork, defense, and playmaking as they made short work of the FEU who for the second successive game went down 1-2-3.

It was the first time Ateneo beat FEU in a decade and taken three sets from them in succession. It was also the first time in over three decades that a Blue Spikers squad has posted a 4-0 record.

This is new territory for us,” beamed a happy Almadro. “So we’ll take it one game at a time.”

There were some four dozen people inside the gym. Yet from the sound of it, you wouldn’t think that an exciting volleyball match was played.

But it resounded with the singing of the alma mater song by a team that is showing the promise of greatness. And Almadro this time stood behind his team with proud yet humble eyes.


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