MANILA, Philippines — Far Eastern University brought Rachelle Ann Daquis and Jovelyn Gonzaga in for a reason. And their purpose was realized Sunday.
Daquis and Gonzaga once again stood at the forefront of FEU’s charge as the Lady Tamaraws dethroned the National University Lady Bulldogs, 25-21, 25-23, 25-18, to put their place in Shakey’s V-League history before a packed crowd at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
“I’m just really thankful for the opportunity to be able to serve FEU,” Daquis, who led FEU to a championship in the UAAP in 2007, told reporters.
FEU Lady Tamaraws bag the Shakey’s V-League Season 11 title on May 25, 2014, Sunday at Filoil-Flying V Arena in San Juan City. Noy Morcoso lll/INQUIRER.net
“I’m really happy because first, we made history and second I was able to become a champion again,” said FEU coach Shaq delos Santos, who is now the winningest coach in the league with four titles after winning three crowns as a former coach of the University of Santo Tomas.
Rachelle Ann Daquis of FEU Lady Tamaraws kisses her trophy after winning finals MVP.
Daquis was named Finals MVP after finishing with a game-high 15 points while the lefty Gonzaga added 11, including the championship-clinching hit that set off an emotional celebration. Daquis tallied 19 in the finals opener.
“Teamwork,” said Gonzaga, when asked what set FEU apart. “We never came to a point where we blame one another. And Rachelle and I were able to lead the team and the young players were willing to listen.”
And out of the young bunch, Bernadette Pons stands out. Pons, the second-year spiker, tallied 13 points.
“She’s really impressive. A day before Game 1 she sprained her ankle and she played through it. She’s great,” Daquis said of Pons.
And while the Lady Tams looked as if they were playing with nothing to lose having made a surprise entry to the championship round after barely making it to the quarterfinals, Pons said, there was still pressure.
“There was pressure because it was our first time playing in the championship. We’re just thankful for our guest players and their leadership,” said Pons.
The Lady Bulldogs headed to the finals having lost only once in nine games but the Lady Tamaraws, whose resurgence were fueled with the arrival of Daquis and Gonzaga at the start of the quarterfinals, posed problems for the erstwhile defending champions to figure out.
“We were consistent in what we do and the players played with a high morale and we were able to show that we can beat bigger opponents than us. We also had a positive outlook,” said delos Santos.
The game was stopped in the third set with the Lady Tamaraws up, 10-8, after the power went off. But not even the 15-minute lull could disrupt FEU’s flow and mission to close NU out.
A Pons hit from the back row which the ball grazed the net and through to make it, 19-13, as the FEU faithfuls started to feel the time was theirs.
Gonzaga followed it up with a service ace before Geneveve Casugod pushed the lead to seven, 21-14, on a running spike that went off the hands of reigning back-to-back MVP Dindin Santiago.
Two straight unforced errors by Santiago, who registered 12 points, and Myla Pablo put the Lady Tams at match point before Gonzaga emphatically put it away with a spike.
“I didn’t expect that we would win in straight sets especially in Games 1 and 2 but because of the hard work of the players and the boost given by our guest players we were able to pull it off,” said delos Santos.
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