SPORT | Looking at FEU’s three-set sweep of Adamson

MANILA, Philippines — This was the perfect way for Far Eastern University to bounce back from that stinging three-set loss to La Salle on opening day – with a three-set sweep of their own over a young and struggling Adamson team.

 

I can understand that Adamson has a young team – May Roque is still recovering from an injury plus the sudden departures of middle hitter Mylene Paat and setter Fen Emnas have left them three veterans short. 

 

But they have to show some threat. FEU was far from troubled. They kept smiling throughout the game. They knew that had this from the first set onwards. Even when Adamson came roaring back all you had to do was look at FEU head coach Shaq Delos Santos and he exuded calm. No problem.

 

Let’s look at Adamson first.

 

It didn’t help that the Lady Falcons hastened their own self-destruction with poor plays.

 

I counted at least six times where Adamson setter Chumcee Caole couldn’t give middle hitter Joy Dacoron the ball she wanted. Dacoron would be at full extension and still not get the ball. 

 

Make no mistake, however, that Caole has potential. She had the same number of excellent sets as her FEU counterpart Gel Cayuna – 24. If she set up Dacoron better, she would have finished with maybe 30 or more. 

 

Further to that previous telling and terrible stat, in the first set alone, they gave away nine free balls. Nine. FEU scored on eight of them. The ninth, Adamson got a stop and sent it the opposite way but the Lady Tamaraws scored in their next offensive.

 

They have spunk but they need to temper it.

 

We saw opposite hitter Bernadette Flora stare down FEU's frontline players on a number of occasions after scoring. I think it’s really good that the Lady Tamaraws’ Remy Palma and Bernadeth Pons are nice girls. Imagine doing that to Aby Maraño when she was with La Salle. You know there’s going to be hell to pay.

 

Easy, girl. You haven’t won anything. Ditch the attitude.

 

Having said that, Jema Galanza and company have to bring it.

 

Galanza needs to score more. I think she is trying to do more. But you’re a veteran, girl. You shouldn’t be making errors that are attributed to a freshman.

 

Head coach Airess Prada has a young team. They aren’t going to be world beaters just yet. They have some talent (but are still short of bringing in more reinforcements) for sure. But they need to grow up in a hurry or they’ll be at the bottom of the standings because I think UE is ready to vacate that area.

 

Turning now to FEU.

 

This is a difficult game to gauge them as it was against a lightweight team. But a win is a win. 

 

Good additions to the starting unit

 

I like setter Gel Cayuna and libero Kyla Atienza. During the V-League season, Kyle Negrito was the primary setter with Cayuna the understudy. Negrito played the majority of opening day versus La Salle but the latter got some playing time and still ended up with more points 4-1. 

 

Against Adamson, Cayuna finished with 8 points; four more than the previous game. Maybe Negrito wasn’t feeling well. Whatever it is, I think Cayuna is going to get better for this team.

 

Cayuna isn’t Gyzelle Sy just yet but I think she could be better as she can block (Sy couldn’t) and she can be a little more creative. Nice drop shots. She is a fine additional weapon to FEU’s offense. 

 

Another youngster who got playing time over the veteran is Atienza. 

 

The two changes show how far

 

It was also good to see Delos Santos give middle hitter Czarina Carandang some playing time. They’ll need some help in the middle when Remy Palma rotates out and well, Jerrili Malabanan finds regular playing time.

 

This team will be carried by their veterans.

 

It is only team captain Remy Palma who will be graduating. So you know this team will get better. Somehow, I do not think they will let this year go to waste as they want to take advantage of their captain’s presence.

 

So right now, it’s Palma, Pons and Chin Basas who will carry the load. But they need consistency from whoever will be their regular setter and libero.

 

Next up for Adamson is league-leading National University while FEU will tangle with Ateneo, which will look to bounce back from their loss to the Lady Bulldogs. Both matches are set this Sunday at the FilOil Flying V Centre. - By Rick Olivares, Philstar/contributor