THE ATENEO-MOTOLITE Lady Eagles fall to the Creamline Cool Smashers in straight sets, 23-25, 17-25, 14-25, in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference on Sunday, October 21, at the Baliwag Star Arena in Baliwag, Bulacan.

Typical starters Maddie Madayag, Kat Tolentino, and Ponggay Gaston were absent due to a required Ateneo immersion activity. Lady Eagles Head Coach Oliver Almadro fielded a starting lineup featuring Bea De Leon, Jules Samonte, Erika Raagas, Vanie Gandler, Sam Fanger, Deanna Wong, and Bela Peralta at libero. Dani Ravena played over Peralta in the second and third sets while Jaycel Delos Reyes replaced Raagas in the second set. Kim Gequillana and Jaja Maraguinot were both given playing time off the bench.

Gandler recorded a double-double of 10 points and 10 excellent receives. Against Creamline’s stifling defence, the Lady Eagles were spiking at a success rate of just 28.6%. Former Lady Eagles Alyssa Valdez and Jia Morado combined to down Ateneo, with Valdez scoring on 19 of 36 spike attempts and Morado scoring five service aces and notching 28 excellent sets.

Errors plagued the young team in the first set with Coach Almadro having to call a timeout after beginning the game 0-4. The Lady Eagles were able to come back and forcibly take the lead in certain parts of the match but a quick spike off the net by Rizza Mandapat put the Cool Smashers ahead at the second technical timeout (TTO), 15-16.

It was a back-and-forth affair with both teams taking advantage of their attacking power late in the set. Without Madayag and Tolentino, the team’s top blockers, the Cool Smashers were able to pull away and take the set with a cross-court hit from Jema Galanza, 23-25.

Aces and errors prevented the Lady Eagles from gaining much momentum in the second set with a kill from former Lady Eagle Fille Cayetano forcing coach Almadro to call another early timeout, 4-10.

Morado was a key factor in the Cool Smashers’ performance in the second set with her bombs from the service line and tricky sets proving too much to handle for the Lady Eagles. A quick by Jem Gutierrez sealed the set for the Creamline Cool Smashers, 17-25.

Valdez seemed unstoppable in the third set, dominating the rookie-laden Ateneo team all-throughout. Even a triple block on a spike attempt in zone 6 was unable to stop the phenom as she hit it through the hole, 3-9. Continued attacks from Valdez kept Ateneo-Motolite from gaining any momentum until consecutive aces from Galanza finished the match, 14-25.

The next match for the Ateneo-Motolite Lady Eagles against the Pcari-Air Force will be their first game in round 2. The match will start at 4:00 PM, on Saturday, October 27 in the Imus Sports Complex in Bacoor, Cavite.

Set Score

Ateneo-CCS: 23-25, 17-25, 14-25

Box Scores

Ateneo: Gandler – 10, Fanger – 9, De Leon – 5, Raagas – 5, Samonte – 5, Wong – 1

CCS: Valdez – 19, Galanza – 10, Morado – 8, Mandapat – 7, Cayetano – 6, Gutierrez – 2, Bravo – 2