Struggling teams hope pieces fit in second round

Eagles stars Lyann De Guzman (left) and AC Miner find a reason to cheer. —UAAP MEDIA

For the University of the Philippines women’s volleyball team, this UAAP season has been less about immediate victories and more about the process.

After starting strong with two straight wins, the Fighting Maroons stumbled into a four-game skid, leaving them just shy of the Final Four threshold. But for rookie head coach Benson Bocboc, it’s not the setbacks that define them—it’s how they’ve responded.

“I told the team that the only thing that really matters is the present,” Bocboc shared. “The losses came when we were still trying to find our rhythm. Now, little by little, the pieces are falling into place.”

And they proved as much last weekend, pulling off a gritty five-set win over Adamson. Veterans Joan Monares, Niña Ytang and Irah Jaboneta stepped up when it mattered most, a testament to the squad’s quiet transformation.

Meanwhile, the Ateneo Blue Eagles find themselves in a similar place. Hampered by injuries to key players, the squad has leaned heavily on seniors AC Miner and Lyann de Guzman to steady the ship. But the challenge has only galvanized their new coach, Brazilian tactician Sergio Veloso.

“Every point, every set—it all matters now,” Veloso emphasized. “It’s not just about winning matches but collecting every possible point to stay in the race. You fight all the time.” —INQUIRER SPORTS STAFF