Farm Fresh Foxies. MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Farm Fresh coach Jerry Yee was still pleased with the gallant stand of the Foxies in their Premier Volleyball League debut despite getting swept by the seasoned F2 Logistics Cargo Movers to start their Pool B campaign.
The Foxies got a baptism of fire from the Cargo Movers, 22-25, 20-25, 23-25, on Tuesday at FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
But Yee was thrilled to see the flashes of the team’s potential, especially their last-ditch effort in the third, where they tied it to 23-all before Aby Maraño and Jolina Dela Cruz completed the sweep.
“It’s a moral victory. We’re happy at least we were able to put up a fight. Although we had a lot of lapses and the jitters from my players were evident. We will try to address that. Hopefully, we will be able to find our groove in the second, third, and fourth games. We are hopeful and optimistic,” said the returning PVL coach in Filipino.
Yee lauded his player from College of Saint Benilde, Gayle Pascual, who was their only double-digit scorer with 10 points from seven attacks and three blocks, as Trisha Tubu is still adjusting with their setter Cloanne Mondonedo.
“She is powerful and somehow consistent,” he said. “We are expecting others to contribute because some didn’t show up. Tubu is probably still adjusting with the setter with her height, flight, and speed of the ball. But good thing we identified it and what’s important is our next moves.”
Farm Fresh coach Jerry Yee. MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Yee is looking to work on his players’ composure as it is a short tournament with only the top two teams advancing from their group to the semifinal round.
“We were a bit stiff. Every time the camera focuses on our faces during the timeout, we looked stiff and worried. We can’t focus on our job. At least we saw the things that we have to address,” Yee said.
“It’s a very short tournament and our players are still young. We’re trying to be optimistic and hopeful that they will quickly absorb that this is a different level and the mental games in the PVL are different. It’s not about the strength and quickness, it’s more on the mental side.”
F2 Logistics coach Regine Diego praised Farm Fresh, which she sees as a tough team to beat in the future.
“Farm Fresh is going to be a hard team to beat in the future. For now, they are still gelling but they can fight in the pro so I know they will do more and they will be a team to reckon with in the future. We have to respect all the teams here.” she said.
Yee, who last coached Petro Gazz in the PVL during last year’s first conference, relished his return to the pros and staying patient with the progress of his new team, which battles Choco Mucho on Thursday at 4 p.m.
“I’m not new in this environment. I handled a lot of teams from collegiate and pro, starting from zero until trying to get something,” the Farm Fresh coach said.