by Kristel Satumbaga
Ateneo freshman coach Oliver Almadro believes it’s not how you start but how you finish the season.
After losing in four sets to archrival La Salle at the start of the UAAP women’s volleyball season, Almadro proved the critics wrong on Saturday as the Lady Eagles regained the crown at the expense of the University of Santo Tomas Tigresses.
“Sometimes, talents, science and skills are not important but how you trust each other,” said Almadro, who steered the Ateneo men’s team to multiple championships before transitioning as the women’s coach to replace Tai Bundit.
“We had a slow start, our system is not perfect, but the players trusted me and they trusted each other. All of us worked hard for this championship,” Almadro added.
The Katipunan-based squad rose to the challenge following that opening-game defeat, finishing the double-round eliminations on top with a 12-2 win-loss record.
However, they encountered a stumbling block in the Final Four after needing to use their twice-to-beat incentive in ousting Far Eastern U to reach the finals.
It also wasn’t a smooth start in the best-of-three titular series with UST after losing Game 1, 25-17, 25-16, 25-20, but Ateneo found its old form to take Game 2, 26-24, 14-25, 25-21, 25-15, and eventually the crown with a 25-17, 25-22, 25-22 Game 3 victory.
Almadro lauded his players’ determination to rise from the challenge, but also gave credit to UST for pushing them to the limit.
“They’re (UST) so passionate. Ang hirap tibagin. Mahirap kalaban yung team na hindi umaayaw,” Almadro said.
