PARADING an intact roster, the UST Tiger Spikers are set to dominate the UAAP volleyball scene anew when Season 71 action unfurls on Dec. 6 at the Far Eastern University (FEU) gym.
The defending champions ended a five-year title drought last season at the expense of archnemesis FEU. UST wrapped up the best-of-three title showdown with a 25-20, 23-25, 25-19, 20-25, 15-11 Game 3 disposal of the Morayta-based squad.
“The contribution of players in the team is balanced right now. There is no one who stands out because everyone, if not good, is great.” coach Emil Lontoc told the Varsitarian.
With Season 70 Most Valuable Player Reno Roque and Rookie of the Year Jayson Ramos leading the charge, the veteran-laced Tiger Spikers ruled two high-profile off-season tournaments – the Private Schools Regional Athletic Association (PRISAA) and the recent University Games (Unigames) to underscore their preparedness to retain their title.
Aside from their patented aerial offensives, the Tiger Spikers will also bank on a well-polished defensive game anchored on receiving and blocking.
“The skill is already there. The only thing left that the team needs to improve is conditioning.” Lontoc said. “They should not also let the enemy intimidate them in the games to come.”
The Tiger Spikers will open their Season 71 campaign against Adamson on Dec. 6 with a reliable crew of holdovers plus the addition of rookie transferee Julius Sionson. Only Jerome Say and Glenn Artajos graduated from the Season 70 team last year.
Redemption bid
Despite losing key players in last season’s powerhouse line-up, the Lady Spikers still remain as one of the tournament heavyweights going into the Season 71 wars.
The Lady Spikers, who placed second and third in the recent Shakey’s V-Leagua and Unigames, respectively vie for redemption after failing to defend their title last season.
The Season 69 champions spent the entire off-season priming up their rookies to fill the offensive and defensive slacks left by veterans Venus Bernal, Mary Jean Balse, Angeli Tabaquero and Vida Gutierrez.
Bernal, the Season 69 MVP and Balse, the Season 70 Best Attacker have already played out their eligibility while Tabaquero will not be included in the line-up for personal reasons. Gutierrez on the other hand is unlikely to suit up for UST as she has yet to fully recover from an ACL injury.
“We are trying to set the players’ minds not to rely on the veterans alone. The team is not as offensive-minded as before but we are equally deadly on defense,” coach Cesael Delos Santos told the Varsitarian. “We aim to win the crown regardless of who will be our opponents in the finals.”
Neophytes Judy Ann Caballejo and Maika Ortiz are tipped to carry the offensive cudgels alongside seasoned frontliner Aiza Maizo, while blocking specialists Jane Gonzales and Bernice Co are expected to orchestrate denial plays atop the net.
Also deemed to step up for UST are Denise Tan and Rhea Dimaculangan.
So, what will the team’s main offense be?
“Service is going to be our bet on this campaign,” Delos Santos said. “But what we really need to polish now is our defense and reception since they will play an important role in our offensive execution.” he said. Heinz Jassen Brobo and Mika Rafaela Barrios
