Ylanan Gym, UP Diliman - The University of Makati Hardy Herons placed themselves in an uncatchable top 1 league rank last week after winning their match against Team Manila - effectively earning championship of the first season of the Philippine Floorball league. They play one last match for the season - against UP Victorious Secret, a candidate for league third place.
The Herons started with different line than usual, leaving out Mark Polo, Kevin Melencion, and Bernard Dunluan and sending out Hazzer Talingdan and Kay Toledo to lead the offensive. UPVS captain Joshua Paunil quickly took advantage of the less-experienced line and scored early into the period. Ian Apa and Bullet Ribaya scored later as well, ending the first period with the UPVS leading 4 to nil.
Polo, Melencion, and Dunluan returned at the start of the second period, visibly raising the pace of the game and forcing the UPVS into a more tiring gameplay. Polo gets his team their first score with a powerful slap shot a yard away from the goal. The Herons quickly gained momentum and forced the UPVS back with their fast plays, leaving few opportunities for the UPVS to attack. The Herons scored enough to tie the game by the 23:24 mark. The Herons' barrage then continued unanswered with Melencion and Polo scoring a total of 4 points, taking the lead and ending the period 8 - 4
In a mere ten seconds after the start of the third period, Joshua Paunil scored after converting an intercepted pass dangerously close to the goal. Paunil later scored more points at the 37:14 and 38:40 mark, putting them 7 points to Herons' 9. The UPVS was unable to score any more however and Polo made one final goal at the 40:40 mark, putting them up 10 to 7 until the match ended.
The first period showed how vital the Herons' main forwards are to their overall gameplay - defensively and offensively . They also play in a much faster pace with their main forwards in-game, initiating a battle of stamina, a point the UMak forwards are used to. Their quick transition to defense also forces their opponents to take long shots as the defense near the goal is too thick to drive through.
The UPVS' line-changing has improved drastically throughout the season, sending in rested players to match the Herons' high-stamina players. They lost in a matter of individual skill however, for despite having less-fatigued players in-court, the ball tends to fall into Herons' possession through constant turnovers. This led them to rely more on Paunil for offense. Without Saldio Amador however, their big 3 lineup (along with Ribaya) is unable to make more successful plays.
Herons' Polo displays his scoring prowess again, making a total of 8 points. Mlencion and Dunluan scored once each. Keepers Nina Eustaquio and Aries Talingdan saved the goal 3 times each.
Paunil scored 4 times and assisted once, Ribaya took 2 points and an assist and Ian Apa scored once. Their keeper Fra Silva blocked 11 possible goals, most notably the Herons' strong long range shots.
Written by Jan Godfrey Gallardo
The Herons started with different line than usual, leaving out Mark Polo, Kevin Melencion, and Bernard Dunluan and sending out Hazzer Talingdan and Kay Toledo to lead the offensive. UPVS captain Joshua Paunil quickly took advantage of the less-experienced line and scored early into the period. Ian Apa and Bullet Ribaya scored later as well, ending the first period with the UPVS leading 4 to nil.
Polo, Melencion, and Dunluan returned at the start of the second period, visibly raising the pace of the game and forcing the UPVS into a more tiring gameplay. Polo gets his team their first score with a powerful slap shot a yard away from the goal. The Herons quickly gained momentum and forced the UPVS back with their fast plays, leaving few opportunities for the UPVS to attack. The Herons scored enough to tie the game by the 23:24 mark. The Herons' barrage then continued unanswered with Melencion and Polo scoring a total of 4 points, taking the lead and ending the period 8 - 4
In a mere ten seconds after the start of the third period, Joshua Paunil scored after converting an intercepted pass dangerously close to the goal. Paunil later scored more points at the 37:14 and 38:40 mark, putting them 7 points to Herons' 9. The UPVS was unable to score any more however and Polo made one final goal at the 40:40 mark, putting them up 10 to 7 until the match ended.
The first period showed how vital the Herons' main forwards are to their overall gameplay - defensively and offensively . They also play in a much faster pace with their main forwards in-game, initiating a battle of stamina, a point the UMak forwards are used to. Their quick transition to defense also forces their opponents to take long shots as the defense near the goal is too thick to drive through.
The UPVS' line-changing has improved drastically throughout the season, sending in rested players to match the Herons' high-stamina players. They lost in a matter of individual skill however, for despite having less-fatigued players in-court, the ball tends to fall into Herons' possession through constant turnovers. This led them to rely more on Paunil for offense. Without Saldio Amador however, their big 3 lineup (along with Ribaya) is unable to make more successful plays.
Herons' Polo displays his scoring prowess again, making a total of 8 points. Mlencion and Dunluan scored once each. Keepers Nina Eustaquio and Aries Talingdan saved the goal 3 times each.
Paunil scored 4 times and assisted once, Ribaya took 2 points and an assist and Ian Apa scored once. Their keeper Fra Silva blocked 11 possible goals, most notably the Herons' strong long range shots.
Written by Jan Godfrey Gallardo