After a fruitful off-season, the Lady Beach Spikers appeared set for a breakthrough UAAP Season 72. But as the claim for a Final Four spot grew tougher, the Blue and White failed to deliver–finishing a win shy from securing a chance to battle in the semis.
“There is still some disappointment because we didn’t make it to the Final Four,” Jessica Morado shared. “[But at least] most of our games against the tough teams were close and we played well.”
Falling short
Asia Urquico and Jessica Morado began their quest against the equally matched Lady Warriors by dictating the tempo of the first set, but blowing a five-point lead later on. Down at 20-17, Urquico and Morado played better volleyball and endured a series of deuces to claim the first set, 24-22.
In the second set, Ateneo started a 5-0 run down the stretch, and took advantage of a shaken UE team to win the match, 21-17.
“I’m proud of their performance against UE. They [Ateneo] beat the team [UE] who won second place last year,” Coach Micmic Laborte said.
Their next assignment was against the defending champions, the FEU Lady Tamaraws, who easily took the first set from an error-plagued Ateneo team, 21-8. But the Lady Beach Spikers did not back down easily as they entered the second set with better service and side out offense.
It still was not enough, though, as Ateneo watched their five-point lead slip away when the Lady Tams seized the second set to win the game, 21-19.
“In the latter portion of the set, I think we relaxed a bit. [We were] thinking that the five-point cushion would be enough to get us another set,” Morado explained.
Ateneo then faced a must-win situation against the undefeated Lady Falcons. However, the Ladies in Blue were not their usual selves as their inefficient reception and floor defense gave eventual champion Adamson an easy way towards their sixth straight win, 21-8, 21-11, and cost Ateneo a chance to enter the Final Four.
As the eliminations draw to a close, Ateneo ended Season 72 with a duel against UP. “Our coach really told us to go all out on this game and not think that this game had no bearing,” Morado said.
Despite having to deal with the rains, the Beach Spikers did just that. With an excellent reception and a renewed perseverance to dive for every ball, the first set was an Ateneo blowout, 21-7.
The unpleasant weather finally took its toll against Ateneo during the second set. “The rain poured harder during the last few points and we were having a hard time seeing and controlling the ball,” Morado stated.
Determined not to spend another gruesome set under the downpour, Ateneo outlasted the Lady Maroons, 21-19, and found themselves ranked 5th overall.
Moving forward
In the men’s division, Rookie of the Year JP Pareja and Pim Layno struggled all seas0n long—managing to add a lone win to their standings to finish the season in last place.
After bowing down to a taller DLSU team led by Chris Makasakit, 0-2 (21-16, 21-13), the Beach Spikers were also backtracked by the Falcons who swept past them in two sets, 21-13, 21-10.
It was another déjà vu as the Beach Spikers faced the power playing, twin towers of FEU who owned the Ateneo pair in two sets, 21-15, 21-12.
“Sobrang naka-affect talaga yung height nila (Their height mattered a lot),” said JP Pareja. “Ang hirap nila i-block kaya lusot na lusot yung palo nila (They’re hard to block so their spikes got through).”
