Tarlac State University's Women's Futsal Team ruled over the 1st YMG Futsal Tournament and claimed the championship spot last May 27, 2023, at the Tarlac National Highschool Covered Court.
The team was undefeated starting from the eliminations, with a record of six wins and one draw.
The TSU team dominated the first half of the championship game with a score of 5-0 from Trinah Lumna (COS), co-captain Lhena Batugon (CAFA), and Caren Villanueva (CET).
Another big boost that helped the team came from goalkeeper Azel Duquesa (CCJE) with 11 deflections.
Meanwhile, the second half saw a pure defense play from the team ending with a score of 6-2 in favor of TSU.
Aside from claiming the gold, three team members were recognized with individual awards.
Duquesa received the Golden Glove award, while Batugon was awarded the Best Defender. Moreover, Lumna was declared the tournament's Most Valuable Player and the Golden Boot award recipient.
“Actually, I never expected the awards, kasi focus[ed] po ako sa mga exams and requirements for finals, kaya to be honest, maikli lang po ang preparation for the tournament…. Pero pinagpatuloy ko lang ang turo sa amin na maging disiplinado sa pagkain at pag aalaga sa katawan,” Lumna said after receiving her awards.
In the finals match, Mr. Gell Villanueva, the team's external coach and trainer, reminded the girls of what they had been preparing for months: to stay focused on the specific objectives rubber match and stay disciplined with their game plan.
Among the strong competing teams in the said tournament is Sengwin, with recruited players from Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Tarlac. However, the TSU team remained firm on the strategies and tactics they had developed.
"We focus[ed] more on combination plays, dahil dito nabi-build 'yung connection ng isa’t-isa… And that's what I'm proud of," co-captain Batugon said, referring to their preparation for the tournament.
"Superteam ang Sengwin [team] to come up with a selection of players from the region. But we banked on the team-built chemistry and familiarity," Coach Villanueva said.
Coach Villanueva has since been training the team members through the grassroots program of the Los Jovenes Futbol Club.
The team, who won in the SCUAA 3 Olympics, is expected to compete in more friendlies in and out of the region to prepare for their upcoming National SCUAA 2023 Olympics. (jlmm-OPA)
Photo credits: TSU Futsal Women Team
