brosigonzalesphotos: New V-League Champions

May 25, Sunday, San Juan Arena

Lady Tamaraws Take Charge

Dethrone Lady Bulldogs in 3 Sets
UST Takes the Bronze

Some randomly mixed, uncaptioned images from yesterday's V-League Championships [here] - where the FEU Lady Tams swept the Finals to dethrone the Defending Cahmpion NU Lady Bulldogs {the Adamson Lady Falcons [first match], in the same fashion, won the Battle for Third vs the UST Lady Tigers }.

- Two Sweeps in One Afternoon -

[#6] Amanda Villanueva - [Match MVP]

Adamson's Pineda [#1- white] vs UST's Dimaculangan [#1] [left photo]

UST's Laure [#9] vs Adamson's Paat [#4] [right photo]

[#3] Chlodia Cortez is blocked by [outging vet] [ #1] Sheila Pineda

[2 images above & 1 below]

UST Tiger Ennajie Laure [#9] is doubled, and blocked,

by two Lady Falcons

[#18] Marivic Meneses angles this one

Daq Attack !!

NU gets it work cut out for them trying to contain [#3] Daquis [left photo above]- and still have to deal with the likes of [#20] Jovelyn Gonzaga [right photo above] and explosive young sophomore [#2] Bernadette Pons
[next four images below].

[Yup - FEU fans - she still has FOUR playing years !]

FYI - Unfortunately - I DON"T have a single decent action phot of Jovelyn Gonzaga from the match !! -> [My Bad !!] Anyway, here are three more "Daq Attack" images, followed by more random images from the two matches ...

I've seen that "look" -- On individual athletes' faces, and on teams {collectively} so, so many times -- When one [the team] knows - they are beaten [Harsh words indeed - but I'm just calling it as I SEE it] - and it's just a matter of time before their chances for a [very doable] Championship are eventually lost.

At times one gives it their ALL - Even Go the Extra Mile [S] - and STILL nothing seems to work. Sometimes, the opponent seems to be simply "invincible".

Last January - the highly favored NU Lady Bulldogs [w/ twice-to-beat advantage] got elimenated by the underdog Lady Eagles [UAAP Playoffs] - Indeed, A most painful experience for these young athletes from NU - And now, w/ the Lady Eagles out of contention - and with the same battle-tested 2013 line-up [which earned NU their first ever V-league Crown - vs the 2013 Lady Eagles, no-less] NU was confidently ready to claim another V-league Championship .....

But FEU's new "Guest Tandem" OR more aptly called, "Dynamic Duo" - in Daquis and Gonzaga [team mates in the Super Liga Army Trooper Defending Champion Team !] simply gelled in no-time with the youngblooded 2014 Lady Tams !! and made for a most formidable fighting FEU Team !

{According to FEU Head Coach Shag de los Santos - Napakadali raw pakisamahan yoong dalawa [Daquis & Gonzaga] !}
{ I actually featured Rachel Ann and Jovelyn , in a post titled - Fit & Fab

Like having to relive a dreaded nightmare [that won't go away] NU's talented volleybelles looked drained and stupefied {time and again} - { Hey - it's happened to the Lady Eagles many times over } during the timeouts.

Kai Nepomuceno [left] [busy being a mom to first-born Enzo] and Aiko Urdas [out on an injury] can only stand, stare and hope - for a miracle that never comes

It's never obvious - when it's actually happeneing - But we all know - It's these "hard times" that should galvanize teams to become stronger and more resilient - in the long haul - It IS eventually up to the teams to "even benefit" from such experiences.

Don't get me wrong - This is not a put down on the NU Team [or any team for that matter]. After a Championship - Win or Lose - Teams should come out a better team, than they were before.