Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
The start of the women’s volleyball tournament in UAAP Season 81 is still a few months away but teams aren’t going stay idle and wait for the games to begin.
University of the Philippines and Far Eastern University are already gearing up for some stiff competition with the two teams looking at the Philippine Superliga Collegiate Grand Slam to fine tune their respective rosters.
Lady Maroons head coach Godfrey Okumu said he wants his team to have more exposure to different competitors as they try to become the UAAP’s elite once the tournament begins in early 2019.
“My team is composed of very young rookies and some veteran members so this tournament will help us get the exposure we need,” said Okumu.
UP placed sixth in Season 80 with a 6-8 record but has since started to show signs of improvement after its title run in another offseason collegiate league.
“I believe that my team will learn again how to deal with losses and wins every game, so to me, this tournament can help us grow especially our young players,” said Okumu.
As for the Lady Tamaraws, coach Rey Diaz said the Collegiate Grand Slam is a perfect opportunity for his team to grow.
“We treat this as a blessing,” said Diaz. “We’re expecting the players to gain a lot of exposure and raise their level of competition here in the PSL.”