The Varsitarian

THE UST Men’s Volleyball Team were a game away from a back-to-back championship for the first time last UAAP season, but the De La Salle University Green Spikers stood in their way in the penultimate set of their championship match.

With the score tied at 14-all in the deciding set, the Tiger Spikers surrendered a kill followed by an error to lose the game and the crown to the Green Spikers.

UST’s misery did not end there as the Tiger Spikers fell prey anew to the Green Spikers in the University Games volleyball finals in Bacolod held right in the UAAP postseason.

Recently, the Tiger Spikers wound up second again in the Private Schools’s Athletic Association (PRISAA) held in Cebu last April 20-27.

Despite a depleted line-up, the Tiger Spikers ran amok and swept the eliminations en route to the championship. However, the ghost of the championship losses to DLSU continued to haunt them as they lost in four sets to the Cebu team in the finals.

Those painful setbacks will surely be the Tiger Spikers’ motivation as they try to exact revenge and reclaim the title from the Green Spikers when the UAAP volleyball wars kick off on July 21 at the University of the Philippines Gymnasium in Diliman, Quezon City.

Bridesmaid Jinx

As if cursed, runner-up finishes seemed to follow every UAAP volleyball championship of UST.

In 1987, the Tiger Spikers lost the championship to the FEU Tamaraw Spikers after winning the title the previous year. The Morayta-based spikers’ victory started the fabled rivalry between the two schools. The Tiger Spikers rebounded the following year and got back the diadem from FEU. From then on until the 2001 season, the UAAP men’s volleyball tournament became a UST-FEU show.

The Tamaraws nosed out the España-based spikers in that series by winning nine titles against the latter’s seven.

After three successive bridesmaid finishes for the Tiger Spikers, with two of them at the expense of the Green Spikers, UST is hard-pressed to break the curse.

Last season’s return trip to the finals came unexpectedly for the Tiger Spikers. Reeling from the loss of seven key players including UAAP 2000 Most Valuable Player Clarence Esteban due to graduation, the Tiger Spikers were hardly given a chance by sports critics to figure in the finals.

But the España-based spikers proved their detractors wrong and went on a blistering run in the elimination round, gaining a Final Four berth against the lightly Adamson Falcons. UST won to arrange the title showdown with De La Salle, who claimed the other finals berth by downing the FEU Spikers.

Despite being rookie-laden last year, their inexperience was hardly felt throughout the tournament except in the championship game. UST Men’s Volleyball Team head coach Emilio Lontoc’s fears surfaced in the finals as his rookies’ inexperience led to the Tiger’s downfall.

Intact Line-up

This year, Lontoc is confident they would regain the championship. And why not? Unlike last year, the Tiger Spikers’ line-up remained intact this time.

“Maraming rookies last year kaya nahirapan sa championship. This time, my team is the most intact among the teams that saw action last year,” boasted Coach Lontoc.

Rico de Guzman, the only senior in the team, will be relieving the younger Emilio Reyes Jr. in the team captain’s position. The change will ease off some pressure from the power-hitting Reyes that should allow him to concentrate more in spearheading the Tiger Spikers’ vaunted defense and offensive attack.

On the other hand, Lontoc is hoping that the intensity and the veteran leadership of de Guzman would rub off on his teammates. Anthony Irvin Guiao will once again set up the offense for the Tiger Spikers. The duo of Renato Macayana and Nimrod Ruelos will back up the de Guzman-Reyes tandem in the middle. Meanwhile, incoming sophomore Louie Lloyd Magpoc will man the backline as the libero for the team.

Jake Lagar, Ralph Lauren Lipa, Christian Fernandez and Paul Anthony Varqueg complete the shock troopers for Coach Lontoc.

Meanwhile, three new recruits this season will try to add firepower to the team.

Ericsson Lumacquing will come from the bench to relieve the center attack spiker. On the other hand, Bernard Matira will see action as outside hitter for the team’s offense while Adrian Babista will play second fiddle in the backline defense as libero.

The three rookies are expected to make a good showing and make valuable contributions to the team as the Tiger Spikers set their sights on a return trip to the championship round.

Adjustments and Strategies

To match-up against other teams in the UAAP, Lontoc, also the RP women’s national team mentor, made sure that all necessary problems have been addressed.

The seasoned tactician pointed out that the team’s back line defense is weak that is why he always emphasizes its importance in their strategic plan whenever they train.

“Iyong blocking at iyong pag-receive ng bola need more polishing to make our defense stronger,” said Lontoc.

He added that the team still lacks a good libero in the mold of UAAP 2000 Best Libero Rommel Jon Abella but he mentioned that he is setting his sights in training Magpoc.

Magpoc, however, is presently down with typhoid fever but Lontoc expects him to suit up for the Tiger Spikers this season.

“Walang star-star dito sa team ko. Lahat sila, mahalaga sa team. Ganito iyong sistema ko since I came here at UST,” Coach Lontoc seriously said.

He also added that the team’s play patterns should be followed once inside the court to ensure victories for UST.

“Every player has an area of responsibility. Once the pattern is broken, the opposition will easily score,” explained Lontoc.

Stumbling blocks

With De La Salle’s title conquest of the UAAP and the University Games, a new force in the league has emerged and the Tiger Spikers are itching to get even with their Taft-based nemesis.

The FEU Tamaraws will likewise pose a challenge to UST’s title bid this season. The failure of the Morayta-based Spikers to get into the championship for the first time in 15 years will surely pump up the Tamaraws, the most titled team in the league.

Likewise, Coach Lontoc is not counting off National University and the Adamson University who seem to be improving year after year.

Nevertheless, Lontoc is still confident that the Tiger Spikers can win this season’s volleyball title as long as the new recruits jell with the rest of the team.

“Team chemistry is very important. Diyan nakasalalay kung hanggang saan ang makakayang maabot ng team,” the bemedalled mentor added.

He also noted that his team tends to start the tournament strong only to waver in the homestretch. He recalled the 1999-2000 season, where they swept the elimination round but lost to FEU in the finals despite having a twice-to-beat advantage.

As the UAAP volleyball season gets nearer, Lontoc hopes that he has found the right antidote to put an end to UST’s bridesmaid jinx.

“Right now, we’re still in the polishing stage. Pero sa tingin ko, mas malaki iyong chance naming makuha ulit iyong title this coming UAAP season,” Coach Lontoc beamed. Alder T. Almo