The UP Fighting Maroons in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament. Photo from UAAP Media. 

MANILA — University of the Philippines has tallied two crucial wins as the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball second round heats up.

The Fighting Maroons previously stunned defending champions National University last Wednesday, and they followed this up with a convincing sweep vs. University of the East, Sunday afternoon.

These triumphs boosted the Final 4 hopes of State U as they are currently the fifth-ranked squad in the team standings with a 5-5 record, with only four games left.

READ: Ytang fires 30 as UP deals NU its first loss in Season 87

READ: Fighting Maroons make quick work of Lady Warriors for back-to-back wins

Despite this, UP head coach Benson Bocboc believes that his team is still yet to reach its peak.

“Dahil sa panalo? Masasabi ko na hindi pa,” said the first-year head coach during Sunday's postgame presser. “Hindi pa siya sign na nasa peak na yung team. Marami pang kailangan pang ayusin with the short time before we finish the second round.”

“Up-and-down pa kami eh, every game, up-and-down pa. Nagkataon na off yung NU, pero kahit kaninong side pwede pa eh. Pwede ring mangyari sa ulit yung nangyari sa talo namin sa Ateneo,” continued Bocboc, whose team was also defeated by Ateneo de Manila University earlier in the year.

But what does UP need to do to reach their potential? Bocboc explained that it is focusing on the minute details that even the higher-ranked teams are continuously working to get consistent on.

“Yung basic skills lang. Yung pasa, setting, kasi yung ibang teams, kahit marami silang panalo, sometimes, inconsistent sila eh. Sa amin, ganun din,” he said.

“Kailangan namin yung basics na yun, kailangan naming ma-master yung mga yun.”