In line with the return of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Women’s Volleyball Tournament, this weekly series will analyze the state of the Ateneo Blue Eagles as they aim to soar higher in Season 86.
LAST SEASON, the Blue Eagles struggled to build momentum and failed to sustain the composure needed to clinch a Final Four berth—a usually-achievable goal in previous years. Shifting from losses to lessons as they capped off Season 85 at sixth place, the Ateneo Women’s Volleyball Team (AWVT) is set on a long road to redemption with renewed passion and clear-sighted coaching. Eager to reestablish themselves from the ground up, the Blue and White works to soar past their limits and show steady progress in their rebuild.
Unfamiliar territory
The crown had already begun to slip past the Katipunan-based squad’s reach at the onset of the elimination rounds, with their early 1-3 win-loss record attributed to their widely inconsistent ball reception. When ardor and team chemistry were their strongest weapons against the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Spikers, National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs, and Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws, Ateneo’s aggressiveness was otherwise lacking.
Suffering consecutive losses despite main pieces Faith Nisperos’ and Vanie Gandler’s best efforts, Ateneo concluded the first round at 2-5, only averting a five-game skid by dominating the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons.
The Blue Eagles started off the second round on the right foot, capturing a victory over the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors via great offensive showings from Nisperos, AC Miner, and Geezel Tsunashima. The AWVT would then split their next two matches, falling to the Adamson University (AdU) Lady Falcons before once again handling UP to capture what would be their final victory of the season. The final stretch of the season painted a bleak end for Ateneo, as they faltered against the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses, FEU, DLSU, and NU to bow out at 4-10 for sixth overall.
As the final remnants of the Loyola Heights-based squad’s glory years recently turned pro, the Blue and White will have to face the future without their biggest names. With the departure of the likes of Nisperos and Gandler, the Blue Eagles took some time to figure out their place in the collegiate scene in their preseason buildup.
Despite these losses, the Blue and White are still composed of a list of established players including Miner and Tsunashima. In a roster also consisting of considerable youth, Ateneo hopes for their veterans to provide leadership in the locker room and to be exemplars of composure and poise on the court. With the upcoming season shaping to be the start of a long road for the AWVT, the Blue Eagles’ mixture of youth and experience will certainly be put to the test.
As the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ newest chapter is soon to kick off, here are some notable things to look out for.
- New Blood At The Helm
Gab: In the realm of sports, not many things indicate the dawn of a new era more than the hiring of a new coach, especially when they are of the caliber of Ateneo’s new skipper Sergio Veloso. The Brazilian Head Coach boasts a nearly four-decade run of coaching volleyball programs worldwide, including the Philippine National Men’s team. With this indelible experience under his wing, the tactician hopes to apply this knowledge on his squad and push Ateneo back to contention in the UAAP.
Replacing the now Diliman-based Oliver Almadro, Veloso has been appointed to usher in a brand new culture and playstyle for the Blue Eagles this season. So what can we expect from an Ateneo team under the mentorship of Coach Veloso?
When Veloso was first brought in, University President Roberto Yap, SJ, cited his expertise in “technical skills analysis and strategic planning” as the main selling point that would be most useful to the volleyball program in Season 86.
This expertise has already presented itself in the numerous Shakey’s Super League matches that Veloso coached. Many of his timeout speeches emphasized two things: defense and communication. The Brazilian Tactician urged his players to focus on building their chemistry on the court and to play as a unit. Veloso is also not afraid to point out whenever the Blue Eagles commit miscommunication errors right when they happen, a vital trait that all the best coaches have in common. Likewise, it can be expected of him to further assert his defensive techniques and team-centric values throughout the upcoming season as we enter a new age of Ateneo volleyball.
Integrating a new system like this will require time and may lead to the team experiencing certain roadblocks during the season. Luckily for Coach Veloso, it seems that his players are more than ready to accept the challenges that come with learning a new playstyle.
Team Captain Roma Mae Doromal describes Veloso’s system as challenging yet rewarding. “Lahat ng tinuturo niya talaga ina-accept lahat namin ‘yun and natutuwa naman kami kasi nakikita naman namin ‘yung results na nakakapag-keep up kami so kailangan lang namin maging consistent pa and training pa kami,” the Libero shared.
(All that he teaches us, we accept it, and we are happy because we see the results and that we can keep up. So we just need to be consistent and train even more.)
Whatever future is in store for the Blue Eagles this season, they are poised to take after their new leader, soak in as much knowledge from Coach Veloso, and slowly build towards becoming a competitive team once again.
- Seeds for the future
Luis: Incurring a mixed bag of results during the offseason, the Ateneo faithful can be reassured that the AWVT’s preseason matches were simply the first step in Head Coach Veloso’s program toward the future. The Blue and White’s fixtures during the preseason also gave us a glimpse into the new faces to anticipate in the UAAP season ahead.
With their key focus being on creating cohesion and familiarity with the new lineup, their victories over the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) contenders such as the Mapúa University’s Lady Cardinals should be indicative of the progress they have achieved so far.
As previously mentioned, with the departure of key players like Nisperos and Gandler, the new-look Blue Eagles will have a lot of time to gel and figure things out under the tutelage of their experienced Brazilian tactician. However, as with any season, there must always be a sense of urgency as they hope to improve their record over the previous year.
Despite the main goal for this young roster being their return to the Final Four, Head Coach Veloso placed heavy emphasis on their program overhaul being a long-term project as he looks to build a strong program not only for this year, but for the years to come as well. Therefore, it should go without saying that avid fans must temper their expectations and set their sights on gradual gains throughout the upcoming season.
With Team Captain Doromal leading the charge for the rebuilding squad, her experience and determination are sure to be the foundations of the Blue Eagles’ campaign this season.
Entering this season with renewed vigor, key holdovers including Miner and Tsunashima will be thrilled to have new reliable pieces in KC Cortez and Jennifer Delos Santos. The latter duo’s stellar showings showed their potential as the Blue and White’s unsung heroes, which will easily complement the talented veterans on the roster.
However, the squad’s overhaul in personnel has certainly been a challenge thus far as Doromal mentioned in her media day interview, “Hindi siya smooth sailing and challenging talaga siya to lead a rebuilding team [na mayroong] bagong coach.”
(It hasn’t been smooth sailing and it’s been challenging to lead a rebuilding team with a new coach.)
Despite these setbacks, the fifth-year stalwart emphasized the help her teammates and coaches played in making the process a smoother one. “Kaya naman, and with the help of my teammates, hindi naman sila mahirap i-lead. At the same time, si Coach [Veloso] makes everything easier,” the veteran captain shared in a mix of English and Filipino.
This upcoming season will simply be the first phase in Ateneo’s road towards reclaiming their spot among the UAAP’s best, planting the seeds for the future of their program.
Along with guidance from their pool of seasoned veterans, their blue-chip recruits will be able to contribute towards their much-needed progression as the season unfolds. Rest assured with enough time and progress, the Blue Eagles are more than capable of returning to the place they have been familiar with for over the better half of the last decade.
This week’s games:
Saturday, February 17, 3:00 PM, vs. University of the East Lady Red Warriors at the Mall of Asia Arena
Saturday, February 24, 5:00 PM, vs. National University Lady Bulldogs at the Mall of Asia Arena
Season 85 Standings (W-L)
- DLSU Lady Spikers (13-1)
- NU Lady Bulldogs (11-3)
- AdU Lady Falcons (10-4)
- UST Golden Tigresses (10-4)
- FEU Lady Tamaraws (6-8)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (4-10)
- UP Fighting Maroons (1-13)
- UE Lady Red Warriors (1-13)
