University of Santo Tomas is just one victory away from reaching another V-League Collegiate Challenge final.
The journey has been challenging, and the Golden Spikers had to grind it out once again against their rivals from Far Eastern University in Game 1 of the semifinals.
Nevertheless, much like a wounded tiger, UST grew fiercer and more resilient, ultimately securing a 21-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22 victory. This marked their seventh consecutive win in the tournament, and no one exemplified the team's performance better than outside hitter GBoy De Vega.
In a manner that perhaps mirrors how head coach Odjie Mamon, who is currently in China for national team duties, would evaluate the match, De Vega had this to say: "If I could rate what I'm feeling right now, I would say it's at 80. We got the win, but we're lacking the remaining 20 points because we gave away several points."
"But we are committed to working on our errors during training, and we will strive to minimize them in the next game," he added.
During a timeout, De Vega was overheard acknowledging his own mistakes on the court. Like a proven winner, he refocused and made a significant down-the-line kill in the subsequent rally.
"My mindset was centered on how to handle my errors. I don't dwell on them because I can't change the past. What's important is to recover and score. When you make a mistake, you must move on, so you can regain your confidence on the court," confessed the young talent from Calatagan, Batangas.
While fellow wing spikers Josh Ybañez and captain Dux Yambao have received most of the Player of the Game honors during UST's current run, De Vega was content contributing whenever needed.
And when the team needed him the most, De Vega delivered, as evidenced by his 18 points against the Tamaraws, including four crucial blocks.
"The key to our victory today was sticking to the system and maintaining composure. When the going gets tough and the action intensifies, it's even more crucial for us to stay focused and composed," De Vega stated.
"For us, it's not about who becomes the Player of the Game because what matters most is getting the win. In our view, there is no single star in each victory; we are all stars when we achieve the win."
