THE ATENEO Lady Spikers opened their second round schedule with a loss against the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Archers. DLSU swept all three sets, 25-14, 25-14 and 25-19, last Sunday, January 19, at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
DLSU opened the match on full throttle as they piled up the early 12-6 advantage. Mika Reyes took charge in the front row for the girls in green. Her blocking presence provided tough defense for her squad to deny Ateneo of any easy points. With Ateneo constantly setting plays for their captain, Alyssa Valdez, the Taft-based squad easily made the necessary adjustments. Ateneo was stumped in any offensive output as La Salle cruised in the first set to a 25-14 clinic.
The second set featured the same script as DLSU once again established a double-digit advantage. Ateneo showed some signs of life from the bench care of the perpetually energetic Michelle Morente. However, DLSU was still able to read and deliver defensively. The second set was ultimately a repeat of the first as the defending champions once again took the set, 25-14.
The third set proved to be the match’s final as DLSU once again cruised through care of Reyes and Ara Galang’s leadership on the floor. Ateneo struggled to answer back to the Lady Archer’s relentless spikes, constantly scrambling with their receptions as La Salle reached match point at 24-15.
Ateneo would have one last push as Amy Ahomiro scored on back-to-back opportunities that sparked a 4-0 scoring run. The run, however, would stop there as DLSU’s Maria Esperanza would outlast Aeriel Patnongon by the net with a powerful tip to propel the Lady Archers to victory at 25-19.
DLSU Head Coach Ramil De Jesus shares that he expected the quick victory against Ateneo, “Last time, ‘yun din ang nangyari (Last time, that was also what happened).”
Alyssa Valdez once again led Ateneo in scoring with 10 points, but her teammates struggled to give her enough support to counter La Salle’s well-balanced scoring. DLSU dominated Ateneo in the blocking department with a 45-36 differential as well as in attacks, 225-188.
With the loss, the Ateneo Lady Spikers drop to 5-3 in the team standings. The loss marks the first time the squad has dropped back-to-back games this season. The match’s outcome also gives DLSU their 24th straight win, allowing them to retain a perfect win-loss record at 8-0. DLSU also has yet to drop a single set in Season 76.
The Ateneo Lady Spikers will look to return to their winning ways on Wednesday, January 22, 2 PM, when they go up against the University of the Philippines at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
