Tigresses back in the jungle

THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas black-and-gold volleyball army is back in the Shakey’s V-League and it’s the team you have to beat to win the first conference crown.

Back after a two-year break, the España-based six-time champion squad has returned with its Tigerish tenacity, romping over all its four opponents in the preliminary phase while dropping only one set along the way.

Ateneo’s Lady Eagles also swept their four games but not with the same vicious power UST has done it. If the defending champion Loyola squad hopes to retain the title, the Lady Eagles will have to come up with their A-game, especially on the defensive end.

For one thing, this is not UST’s UAAP lineup. The V-League format has always allowed guest players, and the Tigresses have stocked up well in this regard.

Veteran Mary Jane Balse is getting better through the years and provides all-round offense and strong leadership when UST’s focus slips.

Thai import Utaiwan Kaensing is a lumbering and wide presence at 6 feet 2  especially when she’s on the front row. But don’t be deceived: She can score heavily with quick sets in the middle and doesn’t have to jump too high to ram the ball down.

But as a credit to the UST volleyball program, the one-time aspirants are now battle-scarred veterans.

Maika Ortiz, Maruja Banaticla and Judy Caballejo are reliable scorers who can nail spikes from open or quick sets.  Ortiz’s running spike that comes off a reverse set is always a thrill to watch unless you’re on the other side of the net and have to defend it.

The key to the UST game, of course, is  setter Rhea Dimaculangan. She probably won’t get too many Best Player awards in the tournament because her role is a nonscoring one. You won’t see her name connected with the number of kills scored by the Tigresses.
But the offense emanates from Dimaculangan’s pinpoint accuracy in giving the UST spikers the setups they like.

So what must San Sebastian, National University, Far Eastern University, Perpetual Help, Adamson, University of St. La Salle (Bacolod) and Ateneo do to stop the Tigresses?

You cannot beat UST with offense. For one thing, UST can play defense with its tall lineup at the net and with a floor defense that’s fundamentally sound.

Defense will be the marching orders to snare the Tigresses.. There has to be impeccable blocking at the net that gives the UST attackers at least something to think about.

You won’t stop every attack but you’ll at least have a first line of defense.

Then your back row reception must be solid enough to keep the ball afloat. If UST’s attackers hit you in the middle or with their crosscourt forays, you must have strong arms and alertness to dig up the ball to keep it in play and get your own offense going.

It will be interesting in this edition of the Shakey’s V-League to find out how the rest of the field tries to cage the Tigresses. It won’t be easy in this volleyball jungle.