UP head coach Jerry Yee. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Season 78 saw the rise of University of the Philippines in the UAAP Women’s Volleyball Tournament with a mix of seniors and rookies leading the Lady Maroons.
Final Four became a realistic aspiration and the Lady Maroons did just that as they took the fourth seed of the tournament and entered the semifinals for the first time since 2003.
Lady Maroons head coach Jerry Yee and his team, however, would only taste the Final Four experience for more than an hour as defending champions Ateneo sent them back to Diliman in just three sets.
Yee said his team was “too young” and was immediately put in a fight against the Lady Eagles, who were eyeing their fifth straight finals appearance.
“Too young? Could be, mahina pa kulang pa sa utak,” Yee said Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena. “Hindi namin alam gagawin, lahat tinatalunan, toss nang toss wala namang kukuha.”
“Ayun nga, bata. It means mabagal, mahina, and hindi pa ganun ka smart, so ayun dagdag na lang in all aspects.”
Ateneo showed why it was the two-time defending champion hammering UP in the first two sets before the third set saw the Lady Maroons come to life.
Still, it was the Lady Eagles who would take the match 25-19, 25-16, 25-21 despite the Lady Maroons’ last push in the third set.
Yee added the playoff atmosphere slowly crept into the team and it started on his seniors then the team’s composure fell down like dominoes.
“Nawala seniors then sunud-sunod na,” Yee said. “Walang masandalan, nobody to look up to.”