UE Lady Warriors during their final game in the UAAP Season 84 volleyball. UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — University of the East coach Jumbo Dimaculangan seeks to build from their lone victory in the UAAP Season 84 women’s volleyball tournament to form a better version of the Lady Red Warriors next year.
UE ended a 17-game skid dating back to Season 81 and beat Far Eastern University for the first time in 12 years, 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 25-21, to steal the seventh place on Thursday at Mall of Asia Arena.
“I told them: let’s get this win so we will have one to cherish and to build before we take a rest,“ said Dimaculangan in Filipino. “At least we saw that we are capable of winning.”
“I’m happy with this win, but I regret some things because it might be too late for them to realize that they can match the level of other teams despite their young age,” he added.
After getting his first win as UAAP head coach, Dimaculangan is hoping to find the missing pieces to their team for them to overcome the tag as pushovers.
“Most likely, we’ll have the same set of players because UE is a young team. Hopefully, we will be able to recruit incoming first year players, because you start from there. Find the right materials and then you train, then develop cohesiveness and teamwork,” he said.
Ja Lana and Dara Nieva, who scored 21 points each to save the best in UE’s last match, were glad to prove that their team belongs to the league.
“We could have performed better in our previous games. But we’re really happy that we were able to bring home one win,” said Lana, the league’s No.9 scorer with a total of 170 points in the eliminations.
“We can win games and match the level of other teams. We just have to be brave and composed inside the court.”
Nieva, who stepped up in the absence of her injured Apple Lingay, agreed with Lana.
“We can build from this (win). We just have to trust ourselves. Never doubt,” she said in Filipino.
It was UE’s only win in Season 84 after a winless campaign in men’s basketball. The school also didn’t participate in poomsae, chess, men’s beach volleyball and 3×3 basketball.
For Dimaculangan, their only win in 14 games somehow boosted the confidence of the Lady Red Warriors and it really proved that they belong in the UAAP.
“At least, we gained the respect of other schools. Even though we were eliminated and we’re at the bottom when we play with other teams and schools, they always put their best six or best seven players,” he said.