Following intense face-offs, the Holy Angel University (HAU) Golden Guardians succumbed to a 1 – 3 loss against the Philippine Christian University (PCU) Lady Dolphins at the 22nd National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (NAASCU) volleyball tournament, June 10.
Held at the Guadalupe Nuevo Sports Complex Covered Court, the match opened with an intense first set, as both squads engaged in a back-and-forth battle marked by multiple deuces and crucial errors — including missed serves and off-target attacks. But with unrelenting defense and an attack error from PCU, the Golden Guardians claimed the first set, 28 – 26, to take an early lead.
Riding that momentum, HAU maintained aggressive attacks and defensive plays in the second set. However, PCU’s solid floor coverage and composed execution during long rallies enabled them to swing the momentum back, narrowly clinching the set, 25 – 22.
In the third set, HAU attempted a late comeback, but the Lady Dolphins held their ground with consistent, calculated plays to earn a 25–20 win, putting them ahead 2–1.
Any hopes of a Golden Guardians resurgence were dashed in the fourth set as PCU turned up the pressure, opening the fourth set with a commanding lead and overwhelming HAU with both offensive pressure and airtight defense. The Guardians struggled to match the tempo, and the Lady Dolphins sealed the victory with a dominant 25 – 15 finish.
In a post-match interview, HAU team captain Arwen Zata reflected on the challenges her squad encountered.
“It was frustrating kasi ‘yun nga na ‘di kami nakakapatay ng bola agad and mahaba ‘yung mga rallies pero kaya naman,” said Zata.
Despite the loss, Zata remained forward-looking, emphasizing the importance of preparation as the team eyes a deeper run in the playoffs.
“Plano namin na mag-polish ng mga kailangan namin i-polish and mag-training para kayanin namin ‘yung next game,” the team captain concluded.
Likewise, in another interview, stand-in coach Vincent Tiamzon shared that he was “not disappointed” — instead, he expressed pride in the team’s growth.
“Actually, I feel proud kasi nakakuha sila ng isang set. Kasi before — last year, nakalaban din nila yung PCU, natalo rin sila. At least this year, nakakuha sila ng isang set, and they did their best naman,” Coach Tiamzon stated.
Golden Guardians will return to the court for their eighth game on June 17, they will face the University of Makati’s Lady Herons in a pivotal matchup with a semifinal spot on the line.
