Young Adamson squad must overcome slow starts, says coach Padda

MANILA, Philippines – Down by double digits deep in the second set against FEU, the Adamson Lady Falcons looked as if they were bracing for another big loss. 

With pressure lifted off their shoulders, the Lady Falcons did what they could manage at the time – playing their own game. It didn’t take too long for the San Marcelino squad to come alive following a few great serves from Bernadette Flora coupled with some off the block hits of skipper Jema Galanza.

The team may have succumbed 19-25, but it was arguably the best showing the Lady Falcons have had early in the season, much to the delight of the crowd of blue in Filoil.  

Head coach Airess Padda, who was visibly running and celebrating together with her group during the rally, got a glimpse of the real Adamson she sees in everyday training.

“This is the team that we see every day,” Padda told her team soon after the second set. “We established momentum, we were blocking some balls.”

“The problem was that we waited so late in the game to establish the momentum, it was already like 22-12.”

While she applauds the team for sparking a mini-run, Padda says the tendency to start slow is a challenge the Lady Falcons need to overcome in the near future. 

“I think they tried at the beginning, but it’s really hard when the set started off on an 8-2 deficit. It’s always hard to come back [after a slow start].”

Moving on from the loss, the Lady Falcons now earned a few days to prepare for yet another great test as they face Jaja Santiago and the Lady Bulldogs on Sunday. Apart from focusing on their blocks as well as maintaining a fast pace, the young Adamson core will also have to come up with a way to stop Santiago in the middle. 

“When Jaja’s in the back row, we gotta take advantage of that,” said Padda. “She’s like the heart [of NU]. When she’s up there, it’s really hard to stop.” 

“So we just gotta keep fighting, keep competing, and start off stronger than we did today.” – Rappler.com