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Christine Agno of
Far Eastern University celebrates the school's first ever V-League title. Photo
by Josh Albelda/Rappler
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Jane Bracher
Rappler
May
25, 2014
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MANILA,
Philippines - The Lady Tamaraws finally reached the summit.
Far Eastern
University zoomed to their first Shakey's V-League title on Sunday, May 25 at
the Arena in San Juan as they closed out the best-of-3 Finals series in just
two games by clobbering former champions National University Lady Bulldogs,
25-21, 25-23, 25-18, in the Season 11 First Conference.
"Sobrang
happy," remarked FEU head coach Shaq Delos Santos after the game. (We are
very happy.)
"Galing din
kami sa baba nung eliminations eh. Unexpected din pero binigay sa amin ni God
so sobrang thankful." (We came from the bottom of the eliminations. It was
unexpected but God gave it to us so we're happy.)
The Lady Bulldogs
found it a huge problem for them to close out sets, pushing strong at the
beginning only to lose their footing towards the end.
NU's struggles,
especially with their 23 errors, left them stuck in a deep 2-0 set
disadvantage. And not even lulls in the game could help them recover.
As power outtages
due to rain dimmed the Arena a couple of times in the middle of Set 3, the
Tamaraws managed to maintain their momentum and resume their rampage once the
lights came back to life - to the sheer dismay of the Lady Bulldogs.
Even as NU stayed
within striking distance at the start of the third, the Lady Tamaraws began
pulling away.
After a Carmin
Aganon (5 points) hit towed the Lady Bulldogs to within 10-11, Mary Joy Palma
(8 points) led FEU on a spurt that put them on top, 14-11. But a couple of
points from the towering Jaja Santiago (6 points) and Aganon kept NU in the
game, 14-13.
Former Lady
Tamaraw and now guest player Rachel Anne Daquis then took over as FEU began
creating some significant distance between them and an already visibly
distraught NU.
Daquis eventually
bagged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) plum after scoring 19 points in Game 1
and 15 points during the title-clinching Game 2.
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Rachel Anne Daquis
kisses her MVP trophy.
Photo by Jane Bracher/Rappler
|
Momentum took a
turn for the worse for NU when their errors began piling up, leading to a 20-13
margin favoring FEU.
When the Lady
Tamaraws reached their 21st point as Geneveve Casugod (4 points) scored on a
running attack that hit off the hands of Dindin Santiago, veteran guest player
Jovelyn Gonzaga reminded her younger teammates that they were a mere 4 points
away from victory.
Gonzaga would
later score the championship point on a kill to finish with 11 markers.
"Sila talaga
yung nag-salba sa amin," Delos Santos commended his two guest players
Daquis and Gonzaga for helping the team up. "Almost hindi kami makapasok
sa quarter finals kung tutuusin." (They saved us. We almost even didn't
make it to the quarterfinals.)
Meanwhile, the 12
points of conference MVP Dindin Santiago were not enough to power her team
through as she missed the offensive support of her sister Jaja and Myla Pablo,
who only had 6 markers.
For an FEU squad
struggling and rebuilding over the past two UAAP seasons, this V-League title
is a breakthrough and a much-needed morale-booster for its younger members.
"Yung mga
bata sobrang hanga kami kasi kami ni Jovelyn (Gonzaga) nag-step up kami as a
leader pero sila hindi sila nagpapaiwan," Daquis explained. "Kung
umaangat kami, umaangat din sila. Kaya kami nanalo kasi buo kami."
(We were very
impressed with the younger players. Jovelyn and I stepped up as leaders but
they didn't back down as well. When we rise, they rise too. We won because we
were one unit.)
According to Delos
Santos, who has now won his 4th V-League title (the previous 3 were with UST)
the Lady Tamaraws have no definite plan yet for what's next.
But this
championship will serve as a good foundation for UAAP Season 77.
Scores
FEU: Daquis 15,
Pons 13, Gonzaga 11, Palma 8, Casugod 4, Papa 1.
NU: Santiago D.
12, Pablo 6, Santiago J. 6, Aganon 5, Dadang 4, De Leon 3, Mandapat 1.
Set scores: 25-21,
25-23, 25-18.
- Rappler.com
