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MANILA, Philippines – The homecoming of former UAAP MVP Tina Salak to the FEU Lady Tamaraws program, which was welcomed by all parties involved, has started to reap benefits just one season in.
The famed setter just led the team to fifth place in the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament with a 6-8 record, a vast improvement from their 1-13 finish in the prior campaign.
An emotional Salak teared up after the Lady Tams’ 25-22, 26-28, 25-15, 25-17 loss to the Final Four-bound Adamson Lady Falcons onSunday, April 30, but this wasn’t due to anything negative.
“It was not just a good run – it was a very good run; it was a very good season for us since we had made big strides because of our sacrifices,” Salak said in Filipino during the post-game press conference.
“I was emotional because I told my players, I bottled everything up at first, but now it’s [tears] of joy because I knew I didn’t work alone, and that is why I am proud of the team and management for their support,” she added.
Despite their inexperience, the team was in the thick of the Final Four race, remaining as contenders after sweeping their season series with the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
However, the team fell short of a surprise stint as the UST Golden Tigresses repulsed them in four sets during their face-off last April 26.
According to Salak, the team will first go on a much-needed vacation before assessing future needs.
With the graduation of Jov Fernandez, and the uncertainty regarding the return of Shiela Kiseo and Jill Gallo, Salak also emphasized to her wards the importance of obtaining a diploma.
“Let’s finish our studies first before making any [career] decisions, because it’s better to have a diploma at hand,” explained Salak.
“As I’ve said, just in case of injury, teams may not see you as beneficial – that’s a reality…. If you are a pro, you can be successful, and if you have a diploma, you can enter any desired company to work,” she continued.
FEU’s current playmaker, Tin Ubaldo, thanked Salak for providing her material to be even better.
“I was shy as first but I then realized that I should not hide my weaknesses because the coaches need to learn it as well to help me improve,” Ubaldo said.
“I should not do it alone and work for myself and that is why, here in the UAAP, I opened up to coach and my teammates and that’s what I think sped up my improvement,” she added. – Rappler.com
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