Post-UAAP thoughts on the Ateneo Lady Eagles’ campaign.

Post-UAAP thoughts on the Ateneo Lady Eagles’ campaign.

by rick olivares

Thanks to the Ateneo Women’s Volleyball Team – it’s officials, coaches, and players. I totally appreciate what they gave of themselves to this season. They might have fallen short of the ultimate objective but I remain proud of the effort. Second place isn’t so bad when you’re up against the best volleyball in the land and now back-to-back champs.

The Ateneo Lady Eagles gave us some season – finishing second in both the Shakey’s V-League Collegiate Conference and the UAAP tournament. Between the two, the latter was more winnable, but it wasn’t meant to be.

In the wake of the loss, it feels like a double punch to the gut after setter Jia Morado announced that she wasn’t coming back. And truthfully, those in the know, myself included, have known about that fact, for a year now. From what I project as another Ateneo-La Salle finals meeting in Season 80, well, it now depends on who Ateneo has for a setter and a libero.

But that’s for another time.

I’d like to share a few observations and thoughts.

The defense took a step back.

Sure the offense was very good but the defense took a step back in two of three categories in from Season 78 to 79. And we weren’t very good in Season 78.

Category	Season 78	Season 79
Blocking	7th	5th
Digging	2nd	7th
Receiving	2nd	3rd

I have voiced some cryptic concerns and will say it now.

I love how Katrina Tolentino came in and played well. There were games where she didn’t contribute but let’s cut her some slack as it is her first major tourney. Yet having said that, I wondered why when she would rotate to the back row, they’d keep her in. For one, her vertical leap isn’t high for consistent back row attacks and two, I think because of all her previous knee injuries, her lateral movement isn’t that quick to be digging all those balls in the back. Her height coupled with the lack of that quick lateral movement hurts her defensively. It is the same reason why Jaja Santiago more often than not is rotated out when she goes to the back (after her serve).

Why not use Kim Gequillana who was vastly underutilized this season? She can play a variety of positions. What’s with this specialist thing? I do not buy that. Never have.

I am sure that the coaches worked on the defense. But obviously, it didn’t work out. So hopefully, they can figure that out what went wrong and how they can address it.

The lack of players – outside Jia Morado – to stand up and carry this team.

When Alyssa Valdez graduated, quite a few people especially among the officials said that we have a better team. And I agree. But with one major caveat — you need some go-to player to carry you when the going gets tough. For NU, it is Jaja Santiago, for UST it is Cherry Rondina, for La Salle, you go to Kim Dy aside from their many weapons.

I don’t not believe that a team of no-stars can win it. Show me the evidence that it happens.

If you look at La Salle, they have four players who are either the best or among the top in their positions – libero Dawn Macandili, setter Kim Fajardo, middle hitter Majoy Baron, and open hitter Kim Dy.

For Ateneo, there was only setter Jia Morado. Bea De Leon was superb this year. And with Morado out, give Bea the captaincy. NOW.

You need someone or quite a few people to really tow you to a championship. Jhoana Maraguinot was anointed heir apparent to Valdez and she is a massive part of what makes the Lady Eagles go. However, she needs to really raise it to another level. Her poor decisions on attacks along with Mich Morente’s hurt the team in Game 2. Costly costly errors. Sure she had an injury but that’s all part of the game. Besides, how sure are we that the Lady Spikers weren’t battling their own niggling injuries?

Ateneo needs to have a few players who are the best or are among the best in their positions.

At the times when some players weren’t performing to par, why didn’t the coaching staff go to the bench?

What was the point of playing the bench in the second round if they weren’t going to be used? When Maraguinot and Morente were committing all those errors, why weren’t they given a breather even for a couple of minutes? Sitting out a few minutes will allow them to collect their thoughts and figure out what they need to do.

Why not try out Ponggay Gaston? Jules Samonte? And of course, Gequillana?

Can we utilize the timeouts in a better fashion?

We aren’t a team that is constantly (read that word again) able to come back from big deficits. That mental strength that we were so proud of burst like a bubble in big time fashion this finals series. Closing it out became so tough. And at times, it took a while before a timeout was called.

And can we have more to the huddles than “happy happy”? I am not saying we should ditch that. Keep it. But for Heaven’s sake, our coach has been here for four years and he still cannot speak in English. You need to offer clear and concise ideas, orders, and adjustments to your players who are in need of them.

La Salle clearly adjusted to Ateneo after their back-to-back finals losses of Season 76 & 77. Ateneo has to understand that what got us to the back-to-back is long over. It’s time to raise it to a different level. While the Lady Eagles are clearly better than most sides, most sides aren’t the barometer for women’s volleyball. It’s La Salle. You measure yourself against them because they are the champions. This team was good enough to win it all. I certainly thought so and pegged them to accomplish that as early as after the last V-League Collegiate Conference.

It was a painful loss made worse with Morado leaving. And now, there’s more work to be done. Does Deanna Wong move to setter or does she stay at libero? And I know Ateneo has a rule where the players cannot play in the commercial leagues. I think they should adjust that. If the player can handle his or her school load, then they should be allowed. The experience will help them. Of course, the participation should be monitored with ample rest and recovery because we do want to avoid injuries. But as it has happened the past four years – all the major injuries were sustained during practice and not during games. Let’s be clear about that. Now if the school will not budge on that rule, then we have to find ways to sharpen everyone’s skills and develop their mental fortitude.

Well, hope springs eternal. Next year means you get a chance for another go. Hopefully, we take to heart and mind the lessons from these last two seasons. First, allow them to heal their minds and their bodies.

Nevertheless, thanks for the valiant and great effort, Ateneo Lady Eagles from the coaching staff down to the players. Still proud of what was accomplished. No shame in losing to the best.

Thanks for everything and I do mean it from the bottom of my heart.

But you know... there's also something too to be proud about outside the ALE... that's the Ateneo Men's Voleyball Team! Hey, it's a three-peat! That's plenty damn good.

OBF. AMDG.