OVER THE last 12 years, the Ateneo Women’s Volleyball Team (AWVT) has established itself as a powerhouse in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). However, not long ago, Ateneo struggled to stay afloat in a pool of much stronger competitors in the league’s earlier seasons. With the arrival of the Fab 5 in UAAP Season 71, Jem Ferrer, Dzi Gervacio, Gretchen Ho, Fille Cainglet-Cayetano, and Aillysse Nacachi ushered in a new era of competitiveness for Ateneo in the Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
Making history
Prior to the debut of the Fab 5, the Lady Eagles’ first taste of playing in the Final Four took place in Season 70. Despite this achievement, the AWVT had several graduating veterans that year, which entailed a rebuild going into Season 71.
With the AWVT’s momentum from Season 70, Roger Gorayeb was hired as head coach to revamp the Women’s Volleyball program. In order to fill up his nearly-empty roster, Gorayeb sought to recruit Palarong Pambansa standouts Gervacio, Ferrer, and Cainglet-Cayetano as well as Batangas-native Nacachi. Meanwhile, Ho attended try-outs and was recruited by Gorayeb under an athletic scholarship.
Despite having a promising young team filled with high school standouts, the AWVT did not make it back to the Final Four in Season 71. However, the Fab 5 led the Lady Eagles to a 6-8 win-loss record, showcasing great promise in their attack and playmaking capabilities. On the offensive front, Outside Hitters Cainglet-Cayetano and Gervacio aided Ateneo’s attacking power as the latter was also known for her deadly jump serves that left her opponent’s defense in shambles. Apart from spiking, primary Setter Ferrer crafted masterful plays with her superb setting and good chemistry with her spikers.
While the Blue and White boasted a loaded offense, Ateneo lacked defensive prowess at the net. Whereas other schools had taller players, the Lady Eagles relied on Middle Blockers Ho and Nacachi who both stood at only 5’8”. In an effort to make up for the lack of height at the net, Ferrer recalled how the Lady Eagles worked on their floor defense instead. “For [Coach Roger], yung focus sa time na yun was palakasin yung [floor] defense namin (For Coach Roger, his focus at the time was to strengthen our floor defense),” she said.
Although the Blue and White struggled on defense, the Lady Eagles persevered against volleyball giants such as De La Salle University (DLSU) and the Far Eastern University (FEU), extending many of their matches to five sets. In light of the Blue and White’s measly 5th place finish, the Lady Eagles were determined to improve their standing in Season 72.
While preparing for their sophomore season, the Fab 5 ramped up their training to avoid the sophomore jinx, where spectacular rookies would underperform in their succeeding collegiate playing years. As a result of their hard work, the AWVT finished third place in Season 72 and won their first-ever medal in the UAAP Volleyball Tournament.
Riding off the high from the previous season’s bronze medal finish, the Fab 5 aimed to make it to the finals in Season 73. However, they first had to overcome a formidable DLSU squad in the semi-finals. Despite faltering against Season 73’s eventual champions, the Blue and White still put up a valiant effort in a nail-biting five setter.
The big stage
With three seasons under their belt, the Fab 5 pressured themselves to break into the finals in Season 74. Fortunately, the addition of three-time UAAP Juniors MVP Alyssa Valdez relieved some of the weight that the now veteran Fab 5 had to carry. Bolstered by her spectacular offense, Valdez helped the team advance to the finals after dispatching the University of Santo Tomas in four sets.
Going into the stepladder finals for the first time, the Blue and White shocked the crowd as they served DLSU their first loss of the season in game one. For Ferrer, support from the community was a major factor that pushed the team to fight harder. “We had more support from other people [because we were] underdogs,” said the veteran playmaker. However, the defending champions were too strong and secured the title in the next two games.
In Season 75, the Fab 5 returned to the UAAP Finals with one last chance to win the title. Hungry for the crown, the Blue and White once again faced defending champions DLSU in the finals. During game one, Ateneo’s defense was shattered by the onslaught of DLSU’s attacks in latter sets which cost them the match, while the Fab 5’s offense was denied at the net and went down in straight sets in their second meeting.
Although the Lady Eagles fought valiantly, their efforts were not enough to give the Fab 5 their fairytale ending in the UAAP. “Hindi naman sa hindi lumaban, pero mas talagang ginusto ng La Salle kunin yung championship (It’s not that we didn’t fight, but La Salle wanted the championship more),” commented Ferrer.
Lasting influence
Despite the unfortunate ending to their UAAP careers, the Fab 5’s popularity was key to improving the University’s volleyball program, particularly in terms of recruitment and the amount of benefactors. “Kung wala si Fab 5, baka wala si Alyssa [Valdez] (Without the Fab 5, we might not have Alyssa Valdez),” shared Sherwin Malonzo, the Program Head of the University’s volleyball program. With a boost in sponsorships, the Lady Eagles also went on more training camps in countries such as Thailand and Japan.
Consequent to the increase in training camps, the Blue and White’s performance in the UAAP skyrocketed with their continuous presence in the Final Four and three championships. Beyond the UAAP, many of the AWVT’s alumni have continued to pursue volleyball in professional leagues.
Although the Fab 5 never clinched a championship title, their story inspired both athletes and non-athletes alike. “[The Fab 5] story gave birth to a new generation of young athletes, young dreamers, not necessarily athletes. Whatever path you choose, one of the things that the whole story [of the Fab 5] taught the younger generation is [that] you can dream big, and you can achieve that big dream of yours,” Gervacio said.
