The rookie-laden UST Tiger Spikers impressed in their Season 85 debut with a four-set clobbering of the De La Salle University Green Spikers, but UST head coach Odjie Mamon believes the team could have performed better.
Mamon was unsatisfied with the Tiger Spikers’ passing and ball distribution in their 25-22, 23-25, 25-22, 25-19 victory on Sunday.
“Ang nawala lang samin, ‘yung first ball, ‘yung sa pasa,” he told the Varsitarian. “Parang nag-slide back sila dun sa dati na binibilisan nila, hindi ‘yung high and easy para sa setter.”
However, Mamon said he expected his players to experience rookie jitters in their first UAAP game.
“Expect ko naman na merong mangyayaring miscues, kasi first playing game nila in a big venue and lahat ‘to, rookies, so kasama rin ‘yon sa expectations namin,” the coach said. “Pero ngayon, unti-unti nang nai-integrate sa kanila ‘yung sistema so we would be looking forward to an easier playing sa susunod.”
The Tiger Spikers gave away 36 points due to errors in their debut. They committed back-to-back attack miscues late in the second frame allowing DLSU to capture the second set, 25-23.
Mamon said addressing these miscues would be the team’s first priority as they prepare for their next game.
“We have a lot to work on,” he said. “Marami pang miscues, saka sobrang dami na namang errors.”
“Parang hindi kami UST kung walang errors,” Mamon quipped. “Hopefully, mag-smooth na ‘yung paglalaro ng mga bata. Hindi sila ma-overwhelm sa big venue at sa bigger crowd.”
The UST Tiger Spikers will next face the Far Eastern University Tamaraws on Wednesday, March 1, at the Philsports Arena.
