WITH THEIR campaign still alive, the UST Golden Tigresses are keeping expectations in check as head coach Shaq delos Santos calls for continued improvement heading into the next stepladder round of the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament.
Following a straight-sets victory over the Adamson Lady Falcons on April 29, the returning tactician lauded the collective effort of both players and the coaching staff.
“Everyone really put in a lot of effort, both coaches and players. They really showed out earlier and it really makes me proud because they really wanted it,” delos Santos told The Flame.
UST now turns its focus to a high stakes match against defending champions NU Lady Bulldogs, with the winner advancing to the Finals for a best-of-three series against the undefeated DLSU Lady Spikers.
However, history poses a challenge for the Tigresses as UST has dropped its last seven meetings against the Jhocson-squad, including a reverse sweep loss that capped its elimination campaign this season.
Despite the odds, delos Santos emphasized the importance of getting grounded and addressing the team’s shortcomings, particularly the lapses that surfaced in the second round.
“The number one thing that we have to avoid is being complacent. We can’t be content with what we have, because we can still improve our strengths,” he said.
“It really starts on training, on how we move and what lapses we had, especially in the second round,” he added.
The Tigresses will attempt to secure a Finals return when they face the Lady Bulldogs on Saturday, May 2, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
“I think nothing’s impossible, as long as the Lord is with us,” delos Santos said. F
