THE ATENEO Lady Eagles took the first game in the Battle for Third in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Collegiate Conference after a thrilling five sets against the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Manila (CSB) Lady Blazers, 22-25, 25-16, 22-25, 26-24, 15-11 at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.

Rookie Faith Nisperos had a career-high scoring output with 35 points (29 spikes, four aces, and two blocks) as well as a team-high 17 excellent digs. Fellow rookie Joan Narit and Team Captain Ponggay Gaston each scored 10 points apiece, with the former notching the most block attempts at 21. Setter Jaja Maraguinot was a key player in Ateneo’s offense as she earned 33 excellent sets. 

CSB led early in the first set when a cross court hit from Gayle Pascual put the lead at three at the first technical timeout (TTO), 5-8. Service aces by Lady Eagle Jaycel Delos Reyes trimmed the lead down to one, 9-10. Good offense by the Lady Blazers helped them hold on to the lead entering the second TTO, 12-16. A 5-0 run later on brought the teams level with Nisperos getting the block on Pascual, 21-21. Errors sunk the Lady Eagles as they allowed CSB a 4-1 run to end the first set, 22-25.

It was a similar story to start the second with the Lady Blazers going on a 3-0 run entering the first TTO, 5-8. A service ace by Maraguinot and an attack error by Pascual put the Lady Eagles ahead by one, 11-10. A kill off the late block by Nisperos then pushed the lead to three at the second TTO, 16-13. The Lady Eagles secured the second set with a late 5-0 run, 25-16. 

The Lady Blazers had another good start early in the set as they held a big lead entering the first TTO, 3-8. It was a back-and-forth affair as CSB still held a five-point lead at the second TTO, 11-16. An attack error from the Lady Blazers tied the game at 20-20. Shortly after, a block by Klarisa Abriam on Nisperos gave CSB the two-point lead, forcing Ateneo to call a timeout, 21-23. Then a service ace right down the middle eventually surrendered set point to the NCAA team, 22-25. 

The Lady Blazers once again led early in the fourth set entering the first TTO, 6-8. Led by Marites Pablo and Abriam, CSB held on to the lead at the second TTO, 13-16. An off the block kill by the Lady Blazers forced Ateneo to call a timeout down by five, 16-21. The Lady Eagles then went on a dramatic 7-1 run thanks to multiple kills by Nisperos to take the lead, 23-22. The two teams went back-and-forth until a quick kill by Narit and an attack error by Marites sent the game into a fifth and deciding set, 26-24. 

The Katipunan-based squad turned the tables on CSB as they began the final set with a 6-0 run, forcing the Lady Blazers to exhaust both timeouts early on. Samonte continued the strong start with a quick kill, keeping the Lady Eagles ahead by six at the court switch, 8-2. Errors and blocks on the Lady Eagles allowed CSB to catch up and tie the score with a quick, 8-8, but a kill and an ace by Nisperos handed the lead back to Ateneo, 10-8. Following this, multiple errors by CSB prevented them from leveling the score, and a back row kill by Nisperos ended the set and the match, 15-11. 

After the game, Head Coach Oliver Almadro talked about his challenge to the veterans to take charge and lead the team. ”Dani [Ravena] responded to that challenge,” said the veteran mentor.

Nisperos also commented on her performance after the game. “When I first came to Ateneo, I [knew I’d] have a role to play,” explained the rookie, who the team relied upon as their primary scoring option. Nisperos scored a career-high 35 points, beating her previous record of 23 points from Ateneo’s loss in semi-finals. 

The second game in the Battle for Third will be Saturday, October 12 at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City. If the PVL Finals do not extend to a game three, the Battle for Third will be decided on tie breakers if CSB takes Game 2. 

Set Score:

Ateneo-CSB: 22-25, 25-16, 22-25, 26-24, 15-11