PLAY-OFF:ADU vs. UST(Women's)/Feb.18/Wed/The Arena

[ebenezer23]

go ADAMSON!

[rpspiker]

this is a great article from PSEP online:
Who has the heart to win and get 3rd seed in UAAP Season 71 Women's Volleyball?

Adamson Vs UST

Its a game that no one should miss. I expect a massive crowd on when these two square off. After all, they are both great teams that want to win. Around over 3,000 people will probably go to the Arena to watch these two teams fight for the 3rd seed slot of the top 4 in the UAAP 71st Women's Volleyball.

Had FEU won, and this is just speculation, there might have been reason for Adamson and UST to lose the playoff game. You see in the top four format, No. 1 team faces No. 4 and No. 2 team faces No. 3. So had FEU won 1st seed, UST and Adamson could choose their fate, because in order to fight FEU then, they would have to lose the playoff to get No. 4 seed and thus slug it out with FEU. But that is not he case anymore.

As PSEP expected, La Salle won and FEU is now the No. 2 seeded team. Not a bad place to be, but not too great either. Because usually, the no. 2 and no. 3 teams are evenly matched and oftentimes more exciting to watch.

The winner of the playoff game between UST and Adamson gets to meet FEU. Not that FEU is an easier team to beat. But statistically, you are off with better chances fighting the No. 2 team in the UAAP than the No. 1. So in all fairness to FEU, it just means that Adamson and UST would rather face-off with them than with a super team like La Salle. But it also doesn't mean they will beat FEU, because UST and Adamson would have to prove themselves to be better teams to defeat their opponents.



So who does PSEP think will win in the UST and Adamson tussle? Let's break the stats down and find out...

Adamson: Clawing their way up

Adamson is a solid team. Scoring wise, there is truly one superstar in Adamson and her name is Angela Benting, the no. 2 ranked scorer, no. 3 ranked server, no. 5 best digger, and no. 6th spiker in the UAAP Season 71. Another great thing going for Adamson in their next game goes by the name Paulina Soriano, this woman is ranked no. 3 in terms of spiking and no. 7 in terms of blocking.

Another ace in Adamson's team is Jennifer Hiponia, the best setter in the UAAP Season 71 Women's Volleyball. Add to this list Ms. Lizlee Ann Gata, the second best digger and the no.1 receiver in the league.

As a team, Adamson is the no. 1 digging, receiving and the no. 1 setting team in the league.(wow, great stats for one team)

Adamson is the no. 2 best spiking team second only to La Salle with over 661 spikes and a success rate of 32.71%
They are also the 5th in terms of league blocking. In serving, they are the no. 3 team with 63 service aces.

In order for Adamson to win, they just have to play their game. As the no. 1 digging and receiving team, if there is anyone who can negate UST's spikes and attacks, it would be them. They are also the no. 1 setting team, so after they negate UST's spikes and attacks, set up a good shot, and they can go for it.

Angela Benting must play something short of spectacular. And she must get support from her teammates in almost all aspects of the game. As team captain, Angela Benting must motivate her team specially her teammates like Paulina Soriano, Jill Gustillo and Rissa Jane Laguilles.

For the coaching staff, Motherly Coach Minerva Dulce Pante must know when to quench rallies of UST. She must teach her players that they can feed off each other but not fuel the emotions of UST. She must tell her team that the crowd will be pre-dominantly pro-UST. And they must stay focused on winning the game and not be distracted by the sideshows at the Arena.

Adamson is a great team with a stellar history. They must surprise UST with something to keep them off their game. If they can do that, Adamson will face FEU in the next round. Otherwise, they face a monster team in La Salle.


UST: Growling to survive

UST is a team with a history unlike no other. Their winning tradition goes back the days of the Spaniards. This season's UST Women's Volleyball team is a work in progress.

The good news. Aiza Maizo is healthy. Yup. The monster superstar of UST is healthy and I think 100%. Aiza Maizo alone had 202 spikes so far., she isn't the top scorer of the league for nothing. She is probably one player, that if she gets her sweet spot and the ball is in the air, you better just pretend to go after the ball because, really, its as good as a point.

In spiking, Maika Angela Ortiz is the leader followed by Aiza Maizo (again). This one-two punch of UST on offense is enough to make other teams hide and pee in their pants.

The UST leader in blocking? Yup. Aiza Maizo. Who else? remember what I said, she is a monster star. Not a superstar, a monster star. Hannah Mance is 9th in blocking as well. These defensive duo is the twin towers of UST, Maizo is 5'10 and Mance is 5'11".

The 5th best server in the league and the best for UST is none other than? Yup. you guessed it. Aiza Maizo. (again, UST's monster star, you got to love her right)

In the digging department, Judy Ann Caballejo is 8th in the league while in the setting department, Rhea Katrina Dimaculangan is 5th best in the league. Rhea is doing so well Denise Tan is going to have a hard time returning in the rotation.

In the receiving department, UST doesnt have a receiver in the top ten.

Team rankings put UST as the top three team in spiking despite Aiza Maizo being so big on offense. In blocking, they are the no. 2 team next only to La Salle.

In terms of servers, the UST is the last team in the league. In terms of diggers, UST is the 4th team in the league.

Setting puts UST on no. 3 behind only Adamson and FEU. UST is also the 6th team in terms of receivers.

What does UST have to do to beat Adamson? Well, first and foremost, make sure Aiza Maizo is fully rested and healthy. Give her a mocha latte or back rubs and foot massages if she wants to. Do anything to make sure she is physically and mentally prepared to be the monster star that she is. She is a good person with a big heart. Aiza will do her best, but she cannot do it alone. Other UST players like Berncie Abigail Co, Maika Angela Ortiz, Hannah Mance and Judy Ann Caballejo must step up and play to win.

For Coach Cesael Delos Santos, he must know when to stop momentum and he must know when to call time-outs. I know he wants the UST team to communicate on their own, but if he sees its not working, its his duty to facilitate communication.

Rhea Katrina Dimaculangan must hold her own against Adamson's Jennifer Hiponia. If she can outperform her, she must be wiling to do it.

Marie Del Rosario and even Aiza Maizo must 'dig' and she must dig deep in her heart to have the capacity to give extra effort in digging so that UST can have a chance of winning the game.

UST must block and block effectively. Show Adamson that height is might and that they deserve to be the no. 3 team in the UAAP.

Bernice Abigail Co must be ready to drink some red bull and have a spiking frenzy. She must hit the balls in a downward trajectory so many times that it will make the arms of the blockers of Adamson sore and feel pain in receiving the spikes.

Breakdown per stat department

Scoring
UST's Aiza Maizo vs Adamson's Angela Benting
This is the best match up scoring wise in the tournament. No. 1 scorer vs the No. 2 scorer. Angela has a lot to prove for her team. Aiza is already a monster star for UST.

Spiking
UST's Maika Angela Ortiz vs Adamson's Paulina Soriano
This is another great match up. Both players wanting to prove they are the best spiker in the UAAP

Blocking
UST's Aiza Maizo vs Adamson's Paulina Soriano
This one is pretty cut and dry for Aiza. Unless she ties one hand behind her back against Paulina.

Serving
Adamson's Angela Benting vs UST's Aiza Maizo.
Angela Benting has more success with serving than Aiza (hmm maybe because she likes to spike the ball better)

Digging
Adamson's Lizlee Ann Gata reigns supreme in this department.

Setting
Adamson's Jennifer Hiponia is queen in this department

Receiving
Adamson's Lizlee Ann Gata is No. 1 in this department



Team Breakdown per statistic

Spiking Blocking Serving Digging Setting Receiving Average
UST 3 2 8 5 3 6 4.5

Adamson 2 5 3 1 1 1 2.1



PSEP Prediction for the playoff game between UST and Adamson

If UST wins the first set, they are there is a 55% chance they will win the game. If Adamson wins the first set, they have a 65% chance of winning the playoff game.

PSEP believes UST has what it takes to win against Adamson but, and this is just the writer's opinion, they will have a hard time against La Salle if they lose this game. So to avoid a hard time against La Salle, UST needs to win this game.


PSEP's advise to UST: play like there is no tomorrow. Because if you lose this game, La Salle will be without mercy. If UST wins this game, you have a psychological advantage against FEU because you beat them before and they are coming off a loss against La Salle. Muster your emotions and let them rule your game to your advantage. Feed off the energy of the crowd and don't let your fans (specially the Tiger pack) down. If they believe, so must you.

PSEP's advise to Adamson: show UST what you are made off. You are without a doubt a team who can give FEU a run for their money in terms of skill having to be No. 1 in three departments (digging, setting, receiving) in the league. You have a slim chance to beat La Salle but may be better off to fight FEU who has a tendency to give up if the score balloons to a big margin as shown in their game against Adamson. Play smart and methodical and not let emotions run wild.

[deejay_05]

sa play-off, AdU ako...

[junjon]

^^talaga, si hiponia best setter ngayon sa league. wow naman.

[ebenezer23]

GO ADAMSON!!

[bjorks]

wow..! wala pa bang stats..?

[athomasian]

weh. go uste.

[A D]

go uste!!!!!!!!!!!!! kayang kaya yan sa wednesday! go uste!!!!!!!!.

[aphrodiTe08]

ebenezer23, puro name mo naman nakikita ko sa thread na to =P aktibo ka rin ah bawat page puro ikaw nandun hehe

[A2.:P]

go USTE!basta panalo USTe sa first set.yakang yaka nila yan ever!wahahaha

[tracysiochi]

akala ko ba ung sa elims lng na stat ang pag-babasehan ng indi awards?

[aphrodiTe08]

di ko nga rin alam trc e. naguguluhan nako sa awarding na yan. sasabog na utak ko..waah!

^ay masyadong affected hahaha

[cean]

go ust

[lander]

bat walang nagpapa alala dito na adamson ang unang nakipagbakbakan sa dlsu in 5 sets...

nakuha nila ung 1st and 2nd set, tapos nagrelax na kaya natalo sila ng dlsu...

kung maoovercome lang nila yun, adamson can actually snatch a win against dlsu...

im assuming here na baka matalo ang adu ng ust sa playoff...

malay mo... ust at adu pa magharap sa finals...

hehehe... in my dreams...

[aphrodiTe08]

walang imposible lander =) yun lang masasabi ko.

in your dreams? kami it's our dream =)