Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws and Lady Tamaraws played close matches in the opening weekend of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85 beach volleyball tournament last November 19 and 20 at the Mall of Asia Beach Volleyball Sandcourt, Pasay City.

The men’s beach volley team started their stint with 2-1 win-loss record after a dominating win against the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors in two straight sets, 21-11, 21-14.

The Jade Nadera-Martin Bugaoan tandem were held back in a neck-and-neck three-setter game against the National University (NU) Bulldogs, 21-16, 19-21, 14-16, but managed to redeem themselves in their lone second day match contra Adamson Soaring Falcons, 21-18, 21-11.

In an interview with FEU Advocate, men’s beach volley Team Captain Nadera mentioned that they were glad to recover from the upset against NU.

“Para sa’min, grateful kami kasi nakabawi kami kasi galing kami sa talo tapos nabawi namin. Nabalik namin ‘yung momentum namin sa sarili namin [at] ‘yung kumpyansa namin sa sarili namin (For us, we are grateful because we recovered since we came from a loss then we recovered. We regained the momentum in ourselves [and] the confidence we have in ourselves),” Nadera said.

The beach volleybelles of Morayta opened the season on a 1-2 win-loss standing as they were defeated by the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Lady Spikers during the first day of the tourney, 21-23, 17-21.

FEU Lady Tams clinched their first win over the UE Lady Warriors, 21-16, 21-11, but failed to conduct a late run against the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Spikers in another two-setter game, 16-21, 20-22.

Women’s beach volley Team Captain Gerzel Petallo still acknowledged the good performance of her tandem with Melody Pons despite the narrow losses against UST and DLSU.

“Syempre po masaya [kami] dahil pinaghirapan namin ‘yung lahat lahat ng mga panalong ‘yun. I mean natalo kami sa La Salle pero maganda naman ‘yung ginalaw namin (Of course, [we are] happy because we worked hard for all those wins. I mean we lost to La Salle but we did a good job),” Petallo stated in a post-game interview with FEU Advocate.

The men’s beach volley team will next face the UST Tiger Sands, while the women’s beach volley team will attempt to raise their standing against the NU Lady Bulldogs on November 23 at the same venue.

-Ma. Katlene R. Angcanan and Paula Jasmine P. Bronoza

(Photo by Alyssa Andrea Quiogue and Zedrich Xylak Madrid/FEU Advocate)