Mapua University is among the hottest teams right now in the NCAA Season 98 women's volleyball tournament, winning its last three games after an opening day loss.
But the Lady Cardinals needed to figure in a five-setter in two of those three wins and in one defeat.
And though Mapua head coach Aying Esteban was proud to see his wards come away with the win over Jose Rizal University on Wednesday, the tactician said that what he is hoping for is that they could finish off their opponents in a sweep as long games, especially five-set matches, will take a toll on them in the long run.
“Syempre masaya kami, sana nga nakuha namin 'yung third set at lagi na rin naming ini-instill sa utak namin na tigilan na natin 'yung five sets,” Esteban said. “Kasi sunod-sunod 'yung games, napapagod kami, and nauubos kami nang nauubos.”
“Sabi ko sa kanila, dapat hangga't pwede nating agahan 'yung tapos, agahan natin para mahaba din 'yung rest natin.”
("Of course we're happy. But we hoped we could win the third set because we are trying to instill in our heads to stop going five sets. The games come one after the other, and we are getting tired, and we might run out... I told them, if we can end games early, we should so that we can have longer rests as well.")
Mapua absorbed a 25-20, 16-25, 21-25, 25-22, 15-5 defeat at the hands of the Lyceum of the Philippines University before pulling off victories against Colegio de San Juan de Letran and San Sebastian College-Recoletos.
Against the Lady Knights, Mapua reached the fifth set anew, 25-19, 25-16, 14-25, 24-26, 16-14, as they also had an extended game against the Lady Stags, 24-26, 25-21, 27-2, 21-25, 15-12.
On Wednesday, the Intramuros crew almost had the same happen but they held off JRU to book a four-set win, 25-23, 27-25, 21-25, 25-23.
Esteban is hoping they can shake this habit of going long in games, which he said had been there since the previous season, where they fell short of a Final Four slot.
“Actually dala na namin 'yung since nung Season 97 pa e. Tinatanong ko nga sa players ko if sinasadya ba or talagang nangyayari lang,” Esteban said in jest.
“‘Yun ang biro ko sa kanila pero ang ano ko lang sa kanila, five sets man 'yan o hindi, ang importante sa amin ay manalo.”
("Actually, we're had this since Season 97. I asked the players if they're doing it on purpose or if it just happens... That's our joke but whether it goes five sets or ot, the important things is to win.")
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
