After enduring a six-game losing streak, the Ateneo Blue Eagles finally broke through with a victory over the UE Lady Red Warriors in the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
Despite the breakthrough, Ateneo currently holds a 1-6 record—its worst start in recent memory—as the once-dominant program continues its search for a return to form.
“I have this word with the players: you need to fight, you need to give 110%, no matter if at the moment you do not feel well, like today,” said Blue Eagles head coach Sergio Veloso after securing his first win of the season.
Ateneo Must Tune Out Outside Noise
The team’s struggles have drawn strong reactions online, especially from fans recalling Ateneo’s championship run in Season 81. However, Veloso urged his players to stay focused and tune out outside criticism.
“For me, it’s simple. I respect everyone, okay? But the most important things for me are the players and our team. I support the players and the team all the time. If outside there are bad words or any kind of negative situation, I don’t care about it. I respect it, okay? But they do not know what happens inside,” he said.
“If you want to stay on the other side, that’s not our problem. I told the players, don’t listen to it. Because if you start listening to other people, that brings bad energy, and it’s not good for you. We need to play with positive energy all the time. Here, our whole team stays for Ateneo.
“Ateneo is most important for us. I don’t care about who stays on the other side.”
Cause for Optimism?
Still, Veloso remains optimistic about Ateneo’s chances moving forward, particularly as the young roster continues to gain experience.
“The other players are sophomores or freshmen. It’s challenging because the opposing side has a lot of talented players, including national team members. I am so, so happy because our players fight all the time. This is one of our purposes. No matter if the opponent wins or if our team wins, we need to fight for victory,” Veloso said.
“Sometimes, I understand that many fans speak negatively, but I support the players, I support the team, and we understand the situation. Our team knows how hard we work in practice. This is the time to transfer what they learned into the game. That is the purpose. The purpose is not only practice, practice, practice. The purpose is when you play. I am confident, not only for the future, but for this season too. In the second round, we can push more and have a big fight.”
