UAAP Volleyball Preview: UP looks to build on last year’s semis run

UP Lady Maroons. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Head coach: Jerry Yee

Last season: 8-6 (4th)

Key losses: Jewel Lai

Gone are the days when University of the Philippines dwelled in the cellar of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament after they finally made the Final Four last year as the fourth seed. 

The Lady Maroons’ 8-6 record was their best in recent memory and it was a massive improvement from where they were four seasons ago when they finished 0-14.

Though they made an early exit in the semifinals of Season 78, head coach Jerry Yee vowed the Lady Maroons would be a better team come Season 79.

“Improvement, that’s what we’re aiming for. I hope there will be an improvement from last year,” said Yee.

If Yee’s words are to be factored in, UP will look to up its impressive offense from a year ago this Season 79.

The Lady Maroons were sixth in the league in success rate to complete a spike and they were the third-best team, tied with University of Santo Tomas, in most points scored with 584.

UP was also the third-best team in scoring off blocks as the Lady Maroons had 90 of them and averaged 1.8 blocks per set, again tied with UST.

Yee also has the luxury of bringing in an almost intact team from Season 78 with only setter Jewel Lai leaving the team.

Expected to lead the way for UP this coming season is reigning Rookie of the Year Isa Molde.

“They understand the word ‘pressure’ better now, there are always people who are expecting that we will do better,” said Yee. “We’re focused on the things we can handle and that is our performance.”