University of Santo Tomas has stumbled into a positive turn this late into the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball tournament after winning two straight games that brought its record to 4-7.
This little winning run came after the Golden Tigresses lost five straight games across the first and second rounds and after overcoming such adversity, head coach Kung Fu Reyes wants his team to lay low for the Holy Week.
Reyes said he wants his players, especially those who have suffered injuries during the season like libero Rica Rivera and rookie Milena Alessandrini, to rest up.
“This break will help them recover especially those we got injured,” said Reyes in Filipino. “They can recover their muscles and of course they will have the time to go to their loved ones and that might even inspire them to play better once they see their parents.”
UST has fared between decent and disappointing this season, placing dead last in receptions with an efficiency rating of 22.54 percent and being fifth-best in blocking with an average of 1.88 blocks per set.
The Golden Tigresses are also in the league’s mediocrity in terms of service, ranking third with 2.00 aces per set and fourth-best in digging with 14.20 digs per set.
There, however, stands a paradox in UST’s numbers as the Golden Tigresses are seventh in setting with an average mark of 7.12 sets per period but are the second best in spikes with a success rate of 30.77.
Although Reyes gave his players the short vacation, he wants them to train by themselves and do at least minimal conditioning exercises.
“The skills are already there, but the conditioning should always be maintained,” said Reyes. “In three or four days, if they don’t move about, that conditioning will be gone.”
“And of course they shouldn’t forget about their obligations as Catholics, they should use this time to fulfill that duty.”