UNABLE TO contain the powerful plays of their opponent’s outside hitters, the Ateneo Blue Eagles succumbed to the undefeated National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs, 25-18, 20-25, 19-25, 18-25, earlier today at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City.
Failing to bank on their first set win and keep themselves on top of the game, the Blue Eagles now hold a 4-5 record in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 84 Women’s Volleyball Tournament standings.
Ateneo started off the match with an elevated level of play via precise first balls and hefty hits that powered through NU’s defense. Soaring from both the outside and back row, Vanie Gandler took charge of Ateneo’s offense to bring the score to 11-9. Following steady receives, Jaja Maraguinot looked to Alexis Miner and Lyann de Guzman to ramp up a 6-1 run for Ateneo, 19-12.
With the Blue Eagles in high spirits, the Lady Bulldogs were unable to keep their errors in check as continuous miscalculations allowed the Blue and White to inch closer toward winning the set. Filled with momentum, Faith Nisperos outwitted NU’s blockers with a down the line kill that closed the set at 25-18 for Ateneo.
In the second set, NU rookie Michaela Belen took charge of the Lady Bulldogs’ offense by converting early points from the hands of Ateneo’s blockers. Ateneo’s Joan Narit responded to Belen’s run by single-handedly rejecting her attack attempts at the net, but NU’s adjustments allowed Princess Robles to put the Lady Bulldogs up by three.
With excellent off-the-block plays, Ateneo’s outside hitters Gandler and Nisperos sought to catch up to the leading Lady Bulldogs, 7-9, but a 4-0 run by NU consisting of pure hard hits increased the top seeded team’s advantage. The Katipunan-based team then started their own run, scoring five consecutive points in a bid to overtake NU, 17-19. However, the Blue Eagles’ comeback attempt was halted once more as Belen secured the second set for NU, 25-20.
Nisperos sought to bring her team back into contention as she started off the third set with attacks from the wings and gave Ateneo a two-point cushion, 4-2. However, the other spikers from the Blue and White troop were unable to find their rhythm as back-to-back attacking errors cost them the lead. NU’s rookie-setter Camille Lamina took advantage of the scrambling Blue Eagles and scored off a drop ball, 7-7. With a tied ball game, Gandler erupted to give Ateneo a 4-0 run with a series of attacks. The Lady Bulldogs responded with a run of their own, thanks to the unstoppable Robles from the outside and towering Alyssa Solomon from the opposite, 12-13 for NU.
With constantly powerful spikes and impressive defense, Ateneo and NU were at odds; the rallies getting longer and more intense. The Blue Eagles were unable to take control of NU’s Solomon as she continued to produce points for her team, solidifying the Lady Bulldogs’ lead at 15-18. Despite attempts to get their squad back on track, Miner and Nisperos made crucial offensive and serve errors that gave their opponents set point advantage. NU’s Robles was left unchecked at the wings, closing the final set for NU, 25-19.
The Lady Bulldogs returned to their usual stable form in the fourth and final set as the power duo of Belen and Robles generated consistent attack points from the sidelines. Ateneo was quiet at the early part of the set and only garnered points out of NU’s unforced errors. As the set progressed, the offense of the Blue and White eventually found its groove with Gandler and Miner trading points with NU, 12-17.
In the latter part of the set, Ateneo’s Coach Oliver Almadro ran out of timeouts as the Blue Eagles remained unsuccessful in containing their opponents’ attacks. NU went on to assert their dominance with back-to-back frontcourt hits by Solomon to win the last set and the match.
Gandler put on an offensive showcase as she stepped up for the Blue and White, contributing 19 markers. Middle blockers Joan Narit and Alexis Miner contributed seven and eight points of their own, respectively. On the other hand, it was Michaela Belen who propelled NU to the victory with 19 points to her name.
The Blue Eagles will face the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses next at 10 AM on Tuesday, May 31, at the MOA Arena.
Set Score:
Ateneo-NU: 25-18, 20-25, 19-25, 18-25
Box Scores:
Ateneo: Gandler – 19, Nisperos – 11, Miner – 8, Narit – 7, Raagas – 4, De Guzman – 2, Maraguinot – 1, Cruz – 1
NU: Belen – 19, Robles – 16, Solomon – 14, Lacsina -8, Toring – 7, Lamina – 4, Nierva – 1, Pangilinan – 1
