As the new UAAP Season 86 Men’s Volleyball Tournament kicked off in February, fans eagerly anticipated the return of the DLSU Green Spikers, who had made a significant impact in the previous season with their exceptional Final Four stint, cementing their reputation as a dominant contender in the remaining season’s games.
To make the wait more excruciating, the Taft-based squad orchestrated a remarkable off-season campaign by clinching the championship title in the 2023 V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge, prevailing over acclaimed contenders and rivals they are set to face in Season 86.
Keeping an eye peeled
With high expectations surrounding the team’s core players, the emergence of super rookies during the preseason leagues added fresh potential to the legendary La Salle squad. Senior wing spiker Vince Maglinao shared that this season’s team composition runs deep, with every player having the potential to be a part of the starting six lineup. “I think kung mapapahalagahan namin, kung mate-take namin yung advantage, malaki yung chance na makuha namin yung season (championship),” he shares.
(If we value and capitalize on the advantage, there’s a big chance we’ll secure the season’s championship.)
Despite the individual talents of the Green Spikers, the team’s main goal is to enhance their chemistry, particularly with the arrival of newcomers such as Uriel “Yoyong” Mendoza. The highly sought-after rookie believes that even if the team has the talent and eagerness to win the championship, strengthening their bond is still essential to DLSU’s success.
Ready to surpass limits
Aiming to exceed their previous season’s performance, the Green-and-White loaded up more on high-caliber athletes to make their 14-man roster spotless. Other than the entry of Mendoza, the Green Spikers have yet to yield other key recruits to the team, such as Eugene Gloria, Glen Ventura, and Eco Adajar. To add more fuel to their team, Billie Anima, Season 85’s Second Best Middle Blocker, remains in the lineup of the towering squad from Taft. Also still on a chase to land a podium finish this season are the reliable veteran wing spikers Noel Kampton, Maglinao, and JM Ronquillo. Manning the floor defense is also one of the team’s best defenders, Menard Guerrero.
With a balanced mix of reliable veterans and talented newcomers, Maglinao is confident that this season’s lineup is truly a tough team to beat. “Yung whole composition ngayon ng team sa upcoming UAAP season…malalim talaga. Even if rookies (sila), maganda yung skills nila,” Maglinao reassures.
(The whole composition of the team this upcoming UAAP season is deep. Even the rookies are equipped with great skills.).
Prior to the start of Season 86, the Green Spikers were focused on improving their defense and body conditioning, which they recognized as the aspect they still lacked. The Green-and-White also practiced against several professional teams in the country, such as the Cignal HD Spikers, Philippine Army, and D’Navigators, to prepare them for the upcoming season.
Given their top-notch skills on the court, Maglinao also affirmed that one of the team’s advantages is their incomparable closeness and trust in each other even outside the court. Living in the same building brought the players a different kind of bond, making their connection to each other unparalleled.
New Archers on the block
After their championship-winning stint in the 2023 V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge, the team has also promised a wide range of players that everyone will be eager to see. As one of the new players in the lineup, Mendoza claims that the team’s chemistry was challenged during the V-League.
With the Green Spikers being in a completely different atmosphere from what he is used to, Mendoza admits that he felt pressure to perform well for the season. “Siguro po pagpasok ko ng La Salle and this V-League rin, malaki rin po yung pressure na nararamdaman ko especially ngayon sa UAAP, kasi parang high level (of anticipation) na ‘to and college…and hindi na katulad ng mga nakakalaro ko [ng] high school, mga nakakalaro ko sa pro-league,” he explains.
(When I entered La Salle and this upcoming V-League as well, I felt a great amount of pressure, especially now in the UAAP, since it’s already highly anticipated, and it’s not like those I played with in high school and in the pro-league.)
The DLSU Green Spikers kicked off the UAAP Season 86 Men’s Volleyball Tournament last February 17 against the AdU Soaring Falcons. As of writing, the Men’s team stands in a three-way tie with the FEU Tamaraws and NU Bulldogs holding a 5-1 record.
The fans’ anticipation for the Green Spikers’ matches to come was fueled by their complete sweep of three sets against Adamson. Mendoza and Maglinao also wished for the best this season, hoping for the full support of the DLSU community to ignite their best play.
This article was published in The LaSallian‘s March 2024 issue. To read more, visit bit.ly/TLSMarch2024.
