UAAP volleyball: UST’s Carballo, NU’s Retamar key winning streaks

UST’s Cassie Carballo in the UAAP volleyball tournament.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Setters took center stage in the second week of the UAAP Season 86 volleyball tournaments — two of whom shone in their respective squads’ strong runs of form midway through the first round of prelims play.

University of Santo Tomas’ sophomore playmaker Cassie Carballo embodied grace under pressure in orchestrating a five-set comeback win over Far Eastern University to remain as the last unbeaten team in the women’s tilt at 4-0.

With 25 excellent sets and eight points on five aces and three attacks to her name, Carballo earned the nod from college scribes as the Collegiate Press Corps’ UAAP Player of the Week for the period of February 28 to March 3.

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 86 volleyball first round

“I’m so thankful to my  [teammates] because I struggled in the first two sets and it took time for me to find my rhythm. They were there for me so I told myself that I have to play better in the third, fourth, and fifth sets, said Carballo in Filipino after their come-from-behind 22-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-20, 15-7 victory over FEU on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.

“We still have a lot to polish because we have yet to reach the standard set by our coaches. That’s what we’re working out every day.”

The Tigresses’ playmaker bested fellow Thomasian ace Angge Poyos, La Salle’s Thea Gagate, NU’s Bella Belen, Ateneo’s Lyann De Guzman, and Adamson’s Barbie Jamili for the weekly honor.

Josh Retamar and the NU Bulldogs against UP in the UAAP Season 86 men’s volleyball tournament.–UAAP PHOTO

Meanwhile, UAAP’s reigning best setter and Finals MVP Joshua Retamar waxed hot for the NU Bulldogs not only in setting up plays but also in firing the shots himself.

Retamar dished out 31 excellent sets in NU’s four-set rout of Adamson prior to a career-high 12 points and 20 excellent sets in a sweep of UP, steering the Bulldogs to back-to-back victories.

As one of the Bulldogs’ senior figures, Retamar did lead by example and went out to prove that his steady hands can be lethal on the floor in more ways than one.

“As a senior of this team, I cannot only focus on setting. I have to block, defend, and deliver good serves,” said Retamar after beating FEU’s Andrei Delicana, La Salle’s JM Ronquillo, and UST’s Josh Ybañez for the men’s Player of the Week plum. “Coach Dante [Alinsunurin] trusted me to be the leader of this team and I don’t want to waste it.”

“Our team is slowly adjusting from our opening loss to UST and we keep on building our team day by day.”