THE LADY Spikers started the year right by handing the second-seeded UST Tigresses their second loss of the year, on Saturday, January 15 at the Filoil Arena. The Tigresses were out of their element as two out of their six starters were hampered by injuries: ace Aiza Maizo, and second-year player Maru Banaticla.
The Lady Spikers and the Tigresses exchanged points early in the first set, going through a series of deadlocks until Ateneo broke the lock from 17-17 off Banaticla’s error—Ateneo went on a 3-0 run. After failing to catch a kill from the blue side, Maizo was seen taking her time standing up, wincing in pain as she was playing with a back injury. Ateneo capitalized, unleashing a flurry of attacks from Kara Acevedo, the league’s current best setter Jem Ferrer, and Fille Cainglet en route to a 25-23 first set win.
UST’s 23 first set points would be the highest they would score, as Ateneo stepped up the gas in the second set. The veteran triad of Acevedo, Bea Pascual, and Angeline Gervacio would give the blue side a blistering 8-2 lead before a technical timeout. Banaticla suffered an ankle injury that kept her out for the rest of the game.
Maizo was clearly bothered by her back injury, looking less mobile on defense. Coach Roger Gorayeb played it safe and did not substitute any one of his starting six to maintain momentum. Rookie Dennise Lazaro’s digging skills would negate any of Rhea Dimaculangan’s and Angela Ortiz’s kills.
A series of errors compounded with potent attacks from Cainglet, Gervacio and Jem Ferrer’s usual trick shots gave Ateneo a variety of scoring options. The lead was at its highest at 11 points, when Gervacio forced a powerful spike through UST’s hapless defense to give them a 22-11 edge. Cainglet would score the set point with a well-timed kill.
Coach Shaq de los Santos refused to talk to his players after getting frustrated by their lackluster defense, and it was the assistant coach who would talk UST into playing better.
The Lady Spikers, however, would thwart any chances of giving UST a strong start after a duo of kills and a service error from Maizo gave Ateneo a 3-0 edge. Ateneo’s superb blocking plays allowed the lead to balloon to seven points, 13-6.
After Coach Shaq de los Santos called a timeout, UST quickly regained their competitive form, filling in the gaps of their defense. Maizo, although obviously slowed down by the injury, was hustling all over the court.
After enjoying leads more than five points, an error from Cainglet narrowed it down to four, 14-10. Shades of their first round started to haunt the Lady Spikers, while the UST Tigresses were starting to build solid defensive rhythm, which in turn forced errors from Ateneo.
Maizo was playing with all heart, spiking the ball at almost impossible angles and still getting the score; Judy Caballejo, Valerie Amar, and Sarah Jane Gonzales all came to her aid and kept the game close, trimming the lead to three at 18-15.
Coach Gorayeb called a timeout after seeing his team falter, and readjusted their defense to prevent the UST surge. Ateneo regained some traction and widened the lead after a block from Bea Pascual, 21-16, and although Maizo would make some more inspiring plays, a block from Gretchen Ho would give the Lady Spikers safe distance at 24-20
Fille Cainglet would score the set point, gicing them a 3-0 win over the Tigresses.
Cainglet was named best player of the game after tallying 15 points, 13 off attacks and a point from a block.
The Ateneo Lady Spikers next play the University of the Philippines on Wednesday, January 19, 2PM at the Filoil Arena.
NOTES: There is some controversy surrounding La Salle’s perfect first round finish as two of their players played in another tournament while the season was going on, and have reportedly broken league rules. The Lady Spikers reach the .500 win mark at 4-4, tied with the NU Lady Bulldogs.
