UAAP: Ateneo played ‘too stiff’ in loss to NU, says coach Oliver Almadro

Ateneo coach Oliver Almadro. – UAAP PHOTOS

MANILA, Philippines – Ateneo coach Oliver Almadro said his players need more confidence and consistency after being swept by defending champion National University on the opening day of the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament.

After losing to the undefeated Lady Bulldogs, 15-25, 20-25, 16-25, Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena, Almadro acknowledged that the Blue Eagles still need to improve their consistency and confidence after playing hard.

“[The team needs to improve its] confidence in every match. Be consistent in what we do and what we do. We just have to show it here, to show what we did in the preseason,” the Ateneo coach said after the loss.

“I’m not very happy, but I tell my players that we have to rise again in the next game … Our movements are a little stiff. But of course, you will be against a champion team, with an intact lineup. There is pressure,” he added in Filipino.

Almadro, who led the team to the 81st Season title in 2019, told the Blue Eagles after the game “let’s go first” because a strong position at the beginning of the first set was nullified by NU and its last effort. the third ended with an anti-climactic service error by Faith Nisperos.

“Don’t immediately look at the end point. Don’t look too far. Just think of the process first. One game at a time. Our problem before us is too rigid. We can’t immediately respond to what happens because we think immediately,” he said.

Ateneo tries to bounce back against fellow Opening Day losers, University of the East, on Wednesday at the MOA Arena.

“We have to prepare because [our first game] was a bit disappointed. I am not disappointed in my players. I was disappointed with the results. But I’m still proud of my team and I know they’ll bounce back. And I know they will know that now it’s the UAAP. This is not preseason anymore,” the Ateneo coach said.

“It’s a process. We have to take it one day at a time, one game at a time, and one point and one set at a time.

Read Next

Don’t miss the latest news and information.

For suggestions, complaints, or questions, please contact us.