Underdog FEU still relishes ‘good season’ after UAAP Final Four exit

MANILA, Philippines – With just one win to show two seasons ago, the FEU Lady Tamaraws know they have every reason to be proud even after bowing out of the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament. 

After finishing fourth in the eliminations with a 9-5 record, the Lady Tamaraws fell just one win short of crashing the championship round after dragging the No. 1 NU Lady Bulldogs to a do-or-die semifinals. 

“It stung, we prepared for it, but we need to look at the brighter side, it was a good run, it was a good season for us,” said FEU coach Manolo Refugia in Filipino.

“We’ve come a long way from the past two seasons, and we grew together,” added Refugia, who wrapped up his first season as tactician after succeeding Tina Salak.

FEU stunned NU in straight sets in the Final Four opener, 25-23, 25-17, 25-23, on Saturday, May 4, but the Lady Bulldogs put their opponents in their place in the winner-take-all through a clinical 25–13, 27–25, 25–15 win on Wednesday, May 8.

With no graduating students, the Lady Tamaraws led by Chen Tagaod and Tin Ubaldo are expected to run it back with more experience and chemistry.

FEU’s Congolese rookie Faida Bakanke also felt grateful that she was embraced by the Philippine volleyball fans. 

“I want to say thank you to the Filipino community for the love, and being kind with me,” said Bakanke, whose solid second-round play even earned her the Collegiate Press Corps’ Player of the Week last April.

“Maraming, maraming salamat sa Filipino community,” (Thank you very much to the Filipino community.) 

“I played well with the teammates and the coaches, we need to accept losing and the mistakes… we did not accept that now but we need to accept that, so next year we can make bawi (bounce back).” – Rappler.com