By ANGEL B. DUKHA III
THE Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) Women’s and Men’s Volleyball teams were wiped out in the quarterfinals of the Thomasian Goodwill Games on Wednesday.
AB Women’s went home with two losses, 23-25 and 21-25, against the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management (CTHM).
Both teams refused to give their opponent a huge advantage in the first set. AB managed to stay in the game despite the spiking arsenal of CTHM which left AB’s score nailed at 9 points, 9-10 and 9-13.
CTHM ran a series that again pinned AB’s score at 19-21. Despite AB’s strong defenses, CTHM prevailed, 25-23.
The second frame began neck and neck but CTHM’s consecutive errors allowed AB to take the lead, 10-5.
However, AB choked on their own errors while CTHM deadlocked the game at 13-13. They claimed the lead with a spike until another deadlock at 18-18.
CTHM bagged the win at 23-25, but their winning spike was contested by AB Volleyball teams coach Bren Mendoza who said the ball landed outside the line.
“Mali ‘yung tawag talaga kasi outside ‘yung bola pero tinawag na in. Okay lang kung check ball pero tinawag na inside,” he said.
Mendoza said his teams lost because of poor defense and lack of composure of players.
Meanwhile, AB Men’s was outplayed by the Faculty of Engineering (Eng’g), 25-21, 18-25, and 24-26.
The men in blue kept pace at 12-13, but Eng’g maintained their lead throughout the first frame.
Eng’g started strong in the third frame, 4-6, but AB stayed in the game and deadlocked the set at 6-6 and 18-18.
“Next year maraming mawawala, so ang kailangan namin [ay] tao talaga. Sana maraming mag-tryouts sa’min tapos ‘yung i-improve namin is ‘yung attacking kasi iilan lang talaga ‘yung pumapalo nang malakas,” Mendoza told the Flame.
The games were held at the P. Noval Covered Court. F
