Push Admin

UAAP: On road to title filled with doubters and critics, Lady Eagles kept the faith

Article (news)

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/sports/05/18/20190518-lady-eagles-kept-the-faith-1.jpg"/><figcaption>The questions coach Oliver Almadro and the Lady Eagles faced during Season 81 were answered emphatically on Saturday. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines—Ateneo head coach Oliver Almadro knew there were plenty of questions about his women&#x27;s volleyball team ahead of UAAP Season 81, questions that only grew louder after the Lady Eagles dropped their first game of the season.Losing to La Salle in 4 sets in their first game of the tournament opened Ateneo up to criticism: there were questions about their first ball and floor defense, and about the readiness of their wing spikers. Almadro heard it all.&quot;We lost the first match of the season. Many people counted us out. Bobo daw outside hitters namin, wala kaming receive, wala kaming defense,&quot; he said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/ateneo-edges-ust-as-lady-eagles-ascend-uaap-volleyball-throne">Ateneo edges UST, as Lady Eagles ascend UAAP volleyball throne</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/uaap-lady-eagles-captain-bea-de-leon-caps-career-with-title-finals-mvp">UAAP: Lady Eagles captain Bea de Leon caps career with title, finals MVP</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/uaap-kat-tolentino-will-celebrate-first-before-deciding-on-final-year">UAAP: Kat Tolentino will celebrate first before deciding on final year</a></li></ul>&quot;But we made it,&quot; he stressed. &quot;It&#x27;s because of our faith, and because of our courage. I really tell you guys, it&#x27;s really the faith and the courage.&quot;Over the course of Season 81, Almadro and the Lady Eagles made sure to answer those questions and silence their critics. They put together a stunning 10-match winning streak that included come-from-behind wins over Far Eastern University and University of Santo Tomas. They established themselves as the best blocking team in the league.Their floor defense and service reception picked up as the season went on, and their outside hitters began to find their mark.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/after-dani-wins-one-make-that-5-uaap-titles-for-ravena-siblings">After Dani wins one, make that 5 UAAP titles for Ravena siblings</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/uaap-maddie-madayag-relishes-up-and-down-journey-that-led-to-title">UAAP: Maddie Madayag relishes up-and-down journey that led to title</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/19/uaap-bea-de-leon-hails-fellow-captain-rondina-she-made-everything-harder">UAAP: Bea de Leon hails fellow captain Rondina — ‘She made everything harder’</a></li></ul>&quot;Noong start, wala kaming receive, wala kaming depensa, slowly we went up. Hindi nga lang naging No. 1, No. 3 &#x27;yung receive namin, No. 4 pa rin. Pero &#x27;yung defense namin naging No. 2,&quot; said Almadro.&quot;They counted us out. &#x27;Yung outside hitters namin, they counted them out, they counted out (libero) Kim (Gequillana), they counted out everybody, but I trust them,&quot; he added. &quot; &#x27;Yun ang pinakaimportante talaga sa lahat.&quot;&quot;You really trust your family, this is family.&quot;<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/sports/05/18/20190518-lady-eagles-kept-the-faith-2.jpg"/><figcaption>A celebratory groufie caps a championship season for the Lady Eagles, who, some of the players acknowledged, at times doubted whether they would go this far. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>Ateneo went on to secure the top seed in the final 4, but faced more bumps there. The Lady Eagles were stunned by Far Eastern University in the semis, and dragged to a do-or-die game. The Lady Eagles showed their fighting spirit in turning back the Lady Tamaraws, but were then clobbered by University of Santo Tomas in Game 1 of the best-of-3 finals.At that point, doubt began to creep in even within the Lady Eagles, but they battled through it.&quot;Of course, there was doubt because UST will come at you, and you&#x27;re going against the two best wings. That was really hard, that was really hard for us,&quot; said Ateneo captain Bea de Leon, who cut an emotional figure at the end of their Game 1 loss.&quot;But again, we just wanted to come together. We said whatever happened, we shouldn&#x27;t forget to be grateful that we were here, and to stay close, to stay happy, to stay together.&quot;In the end, the last word of the season belonged to Ateneo, as what Almadro kept saying all year long came true. His team overcame UST in 4 sets in Game 2, then outplayed the Golden Tigresses in 3 sets in the deciding Game 3 on Saturday to win their first UAAP women&#x27;s title in 4 years.&quot;It&#x27;s not how you start, it&#x27;s how you end,&quot; said Almadro, parroting a line he has said over and over again in Season 81. &quot;Sabi ko sa kanila, when we lost the first game, it’s not important. What’s important is the last game of the season. And indeed, last game of the season. Umabot ng Game 3, so it’s really written. The Lord has plans,&quot; he added.&quot;We really have to believe in His plans, no matter what challenges kung ano pa yan, He willl really give it to You. The Lord fulfills His promise.&quot;<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/sports/05/18/20190518-lady-eagles-kept-the-faith-3.jpg"/><figcaption>From the men&#x27;s team, coach Oliver Almadro took his title-winning ways to the Lady Eagles. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>The championship, Almadro&#x27;s fourth with Ateneo, after leading the school&#x27;s men&#x27;s team to a 3-peat in Seasons 77 to 79, was a testament to the system that the coach put in, a system anchored on his mantra of &quot;faith, trust, courage.&quot;&quot;Of course, we will work hard, we will not be the perfect players, I will not be the perfect coach, but we work as a team, we work as a family, that’s what’s important,&quot; said Almadro. &quot;Sometimes, talent, science, and skills are not important.&quot;&quot;What’s important is how you train, how you trust each other, how you put the faith in God,&quot; he stressed.All credit, the coach said, should go to the Ateneo players. The Lady Eagles had welcomed Almadro upon the exit of Tai Bundit, the legendary Thai coach who led the team to back-to-back crowns in Seasons 76 and 77. Almadro endured his fair share of criticisms from Ateneo&#x27;s famously passionate fanbase, but he refused to lose sight of what had always worked for him in his career: &quot;faith, trust, courage.&quot;&quot;Thank you very much to the players for trusting me and — di pa ganoong ka-perfect &#x27;yung system — for trusting the system. And they really worked hard. I’m just an instrument, they’re the ones who worked for it,&quot; Almadro said.For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.

From the first day of Season 81 until the finals, coach Oliver Almadro and the Lady Eagles tuned out the nonbelievers to scale the mountaintop of collegiate women's volleyball.

From the first day of Season 81 until the finals, coach Oliver Almadro and the Lady Eagles tuned out the nonbelievers to scale the mountaintop of collegiate women's volleyball.

UAAP: On road to title filled with doubters and critics, Lady Eagles kept the faith

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Sports

UAAP: On road to title filled with doubters and critics, Lady Eagles kept the faith

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 18, 2019 11:28 PM PHT

|

Updated May 19, 2019 05:47 AM PHT

Read More:

UAAP Season 81

UAAP Season 81 women's volleyball

Ateneo Lady Eagles

UST Golden Tigresses

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.