Then vs now: Current stars won’t stand a chance against us, say former Tigresses

UST Womens Volley team late 80s to early 90s: Mozzy Ravena, Vilet Ponce de Leon Natalie Cruz Cruz, Carmela Abella Barredo, Annaliza Yu Lucero, Julie Ogayon, Myra Balaquiot, Carmen Gadionco, Mylene Cuenca Bacud and Tina Ignacio.

Just as University of Santo Tomas celebrated its win against Arellano in a five-setter in the Shakey’s V-League, a bunch of older ladies shared the atmosphere with the Golden Tigresses.

About a dozen of them were cheering and laughing as their Alma Mater survived a tough game to start the quarterfinals of the Collegiate conference.

Mozzy Ravena, a former UST star player turned volleyball commentator, said they were her former teammates.

They were not just simple alums, but a bunch who won in 10 leagues in Metro Manila in 1991 and basically owned the collegiate volleyball scene.

Several of them were the starting six of the Philippine Women’s Volleyball Team which won the gold in the 1993 Southeast Asian Games.

Even at the latter half of the not-so-big 40 years, the ladies weren’t shy when it comes to observing the current volleyball landscape in the collegiate level.

Natalie Cruz said the game has slowed down compared to her playing days when UST torched every single team it faced.

“It excites me to see this kind of volleyball today,” the 46-year-old said. “But, as an outside observer, I can see that the game has slowed down.”

“During our time it was all about power, we were like men. Also, we concentrated on plays and not just the simple open, then the middle, then back to the open.”

Carmela Abella Barredo, who apparently was feistier than Cruz, said there is no current player who can compare to Cruz.

“No one, and I mean no one,” Barredo said. “The current players don’t have power, maybe it’s the defense. But in terms of power no one can compare.”

“When she spikes the ball, it goes straight down. She’s the one who started the running spike.”

Julie Ogayon said they had one goal when they were still playing in UST–keep the opponent from even winning a set.

“Before our target was to prevent the other team from winning a set, and if we can do that keep them scoreless.”

“We are not lying, that’s a fact,” Barredo said.

Cruz said they would allow Ateneo, whose coach was good friends with their coach August Sta. Maria, one point as respect to the friendship of the mentors.

Annaliza Yu Lucero, the center spiker of the team, said she and her teammates once defeated the Philippine National Team in a tuneup game in 1991.

“We were getting the upper hand and the game had to be stopped,” Lucero said with the sass only ladies of her calibre can bring.

“Even (Alyssa) Valdez, her attacks would not get over, she would not win against our block,” said the nearly six-foot-tall Lucero. “And I’m the fourth tallest in our team.” CFC