THE ATENEO Lady Eagles have yet to lose a single set this season.
“Going to this game, as well as the last one, we were not expecting anything as well. We really are just playing and enjoying the game, so we’re very surprised as well with the results of the games,” says Team Captain Alyssa Valdez in a mix of English and Filipino, expressing her team’s surprise at their strong start.
Fresh off their three-set victory against finals runner up National University, Ateneo defeated Adamson University in three sets, 25-16, 25-18, 25-14, on Wednesday, November 26, at the Fil Oil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
The Lady Falcons started strong in the first set, keeping the score close and the Blue and White faithful on their heels. Adamson was poised to take the lead from the defending champions, with a powerful line attack by Captain Faye Guevarra to close the deficit to 18-15. However, it was Michelle Morente who stepped up for the Lady Eagles, helping Ateneo spark a run of their own and delivering an explosive attack against the defense to take the set, 25-16.
The second set saw both teams match each other point for point. Unforced errors plagued both clubs for much of the stretch, highlighted by Valdez who sent the volleyball crashing out of bounds to the scoreboard at 8-apiece.
With both teams struggling to keep momentum, veteran Ella De Jesus decided to take matters into her own hands. With the rangy Adamson blockers looming from the front row, the five foot and two inches tall hitter skied over the net to score a down the line attack for her team. The kill sparked a 9-2 run for the Lady Eagles that ended with Jia Morado blitzing the defense with a dump to take the second set, 25-18.
The final set saw Ateneo sprint to a 7-2 lead courtesy of a Valdez line attack. The Lady Eagles took their captain’s lead and never looked back. The veteran trio of Amy Ahomiro, Morente and De Jesus made quick work of the suddenly porous Adamson defense, pushing the lead to 17-7.
The lone standout for the Lady Falcons was Jessica Galanza, who paced her team with 12 points–three coming in the final moments of the match. However, a series of costly errors and violations by her teammates erased any chance of an Adamson win. The match ended with Galanza attempting a spike against the outstretched arms of Ateneo’s Ahomiro before getting blocked at the net.
The Lady Eagles had a 27-point difference against the Lady Falcons with a 75-48 advantage. They also tallied 13 blocks and four serves.
Despite leading the team in scoring with 15 points, Valdez needed 53 attempts to do so. Morente followed with 12 points. Morado distributed the ball with 27 excellent sets while Morente notched five excellent digs.
Their next game will be against Far Eastern University, 2 PM, Saturday, November 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
