FIVE teams represented the University in the 22nd Philippine University Games (UniGames) from Oct. 22 to 28 in Dumaguete City.
A total of 52 athletes composed of the men’s and women’s volleyball, women’s beach volleyball, and men’s and women’s athletics participated in the UniGames.
“Mayroon talagang pinapadala kasi it’s our obligation. [It’s invitational especially in] women’s volleyball kasi we are the defending champion. We need to send them again and for exposure din at the same time,” Rodrigo Sambuang, Institute of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA) athletics moderator, told the Varsitarian in an interview.
Sambuang said not all UST teams joined because of budget constraints.
Senior high school students Baby Love Barbon and Ranielle Carmeli Rosales represented the Lady Spikers instead of Cherry Ann Rondina and Caitlin Viray, to groom the former duo for the next UAAP seasons.
“Magandang simula na rin kasi next year gagamitin ko na ring pang-UAAP `yan (Barbon and Rosales). Si Carmelie bago lang [sa buhangin] kaya mag-aadjust pa `yan pero si Baby Love parang beterano na `pag naglalaro. `Yan sana `yung surprise namin kaya maraming magugulat diyan sa batang `yan (Barbon),” beach volleyball head coach Paul Jan Doloiras said in an interview.
Tiger Spikers head coach Odjie Mamon said the Unigames helped improve the different skill sets of players such as passing, receiving and serving.
UST reached the quarterfinals in last year’s Unigames but fell short against the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA’s Altas.
“’Yung goals na na-set ko doon sa dalawang players ko na-attain na [noong Premiere Volleyball League]. `Yung passing at receiving namin tumaas din, it’s 40-percent efficiency. Pagdating namin sa UniGames dapat ma-surpass na nila `yun,” Mamon said in an interview.
Golden Tigresses head coach Emilio “Kung Fu” Reyes said the Unigames was part of the team’s rigorous training for the UAAP volleyball season in February.
The Tigresses will also participate in two tournaments in November namely the Philippine Super Liga and the first-ever UAAP pre-season stint sponsored by FilOil.
“Gusto naming makita `yung tapang hanggang sa dulo, `yung grit na tinatawag. Lahat mababalewala kung wala `yung desire na manalo. So it’s not the passion but the desire [to win] na kailangan nating maibigay sa mga players,” Reyes said.
As for athletics head coach Manny Calipes, “character-building” for new recruits is the main goal of the Male and Female Tracksters. Most players will graduate after the UAAP season.
