UST Golden Spikers. UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Despite the tough five-set loss in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 85 men’s volleyball Finals, University of Santo Tomas coach Odjie Mamon lauded his young Golden Spikers after showing no fear against the unbeaten National University Bulldogs.
But Mamon stressed UST must quickly learn from the loss with its back against the wall heading into Game 2 on Sunday.
The Golden Spikers crawled back from two sets down led by Josh Ybanez and GBoy De Vega crumbling in the end, 23-25, 22-25, 25-21, 31-29, 11-15, on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.
“No questions regarding their puso (heart) [and their] will to win especially the whole team,” said Mamon, whose squad shot itself in the foot with six miscues in the fifth set alone. “There are just certain aspects that we have to correct because it was already out of the system. That’s around eight points against us. Hopefully, by game two we will be able to correct it and could have a better result.”
Mamon, who arrived from Cambodia with player Jay Rack De La Noche as well as coaching staff Jau Umandal and Mark Alfafara just eight hours before the game, said they will use their heartbreaking loss to build the team’s character ahead of their do-or-die tussle.
“It was a learning experience and character building since it’s a five-setter, the second five-setter we lost. There were certain points from the match that were just the breaks of the game especially in the fifth set. It could have gone either way,” he said in Filipino.
Ybanez, who delivered a game-high 28 points, vows to bounce back and equalize the series.
“We’re happy even though we lost because coach Odjie reminded us that even though it was a defeat at least we gained a lot of learnings from the game,” he said in Filipino. “Our mindset was to play brave and keep on fighting because we know that we can beat them.”
De Vega, who had 19 points, agreed with his fellow Golden Spiker, promising to continue giving his all and at the same time hoping for fair officiating.
“The result was okay because we still gained a lot of learnings and we still have time to prepare for Game 2,” De Vega said in Filipino. “They always tell me to play at my best. But it was almost (but not quite for us). It’s not that we’re against the calls but there were some questionable calls. A lot can happen from there.”
UST will try to spoil NU’s three-peat party and end its 33-game winning streak dating back to Season 81 in 2019.
The Golden Spikers, who are in their first finals in 11 years, are seeking their first crown since Season 73 in 2011.