Padda apologetic after much-improved Adamson misses Final Four

Adamson University’s valiant stand in the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball tournament has come to an end on Saturday.

Despite having a promising campaign that ended with a 25-6, 25-23, 25-23 win over University of Santo Tomas, the Lady Falcons won’t be attending the big dance as they settled for fifth of the tournament after the eliminations.

The Lady Falcons finished the season with a 6-8 record, a vast improvement from their 1-13 finish in Season 79, but expectations hounded them even before the start of the tournament.

Air Padda was aware that school management wanted more from her team the moment they went on a stellar campaign in Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference where they went undefeated in the group stage.

And those expectations have chipped away at her anxiety as she now faces uncertainty ahead of Season 81.

“I know I didn’t live up to their expectations, I know I didn’t meet their expectations this year and I have apologized to the team for that too,” said Padda at Blue Eagle Gym.

Padda, however, believes she’s done her job of elevating the team that won just three games in the season prior to her arrival.

“I know we just came under making the Final Four but if you look at the improvement of the program overall, I think they’re much better than they were before I got here.”

Padda cites the demand the club teams have displayed for her players as a sign of progress for the Lady Falcons.

Mylene Paat is signed with Cignal, Jema Galanza is at Creamline, and Mary Joy Dacoron is poised for a stint in one of the two major commercial leagues.

“This speaks volumes that there are pro teams that are actually calling us about trying to field their teams with our players and that wasn’t happening last year,” said Padda.