dig

sunday was a UAAP volleyball final for me… and it was all worth my 2-3 hours spent glued on tv.

with a lot of ways to score a point, volleyball is really a great spectator sport… a lot of technicalities that can produce an opponent error or push a greater play, so you can just imagine the discipline and the needed skills that a player needs to have. hits should be within the 2 antennas of the net; fouls include double touch, net & crossing violations among others, aside from the usual long and wide shots. of course, there are also winning shots, just like in tennis… aces or unreturned serves, blocks, attacks, check balls and digs. a lot of peculiarities as well… a libero may be all around the place, retrieving all difficult balls, even those that are way outside the court, but they don't serve and cannot block shots. a team can also be penalized if they commit wrong player rotation. same as in any net sport, sets make up a match, so even if a team tumbles on one, they can easily bounce back on the next. add to the equation a dose of team spirit and pressure to perform well within a rally point system and what you have is an entertaining sporting spectacle.

in women's final, i was rooting for coach Minerva's lady falcons, but the win by MVP Wendyanne Semana's team was well-deserved. they finally solved the puzzle and managed to beat a team that they succumbed to in the prelims and semis, in two of the most important matches. i like the scrappy team of Adamson. they may not be the most naturally talented out there, but they make up for it through sheer determination and quick thinking. their team is not too tall nor powerful, but a stonewall of defense… "get all balls back in play, but make sure that it's returned with an offensive statement". i think their success is greatly hinged not only on solid defense but on the effective game of the setter, Janet Serafica, coz after they recover from saving an attack, Serafica is quick to plan out their own set of barrage. of course, the motherly rumblings from coach Minerva has a lot to do with their A-game.

on the men's side, UST won over FEU. it was also a nice game, lots of attacks and efficient blocking. but the airing was cut short… bad move on Studio 23… tsk tsk!

diggin the next season! (",)