WITH KEY veterans Marck Espejo, Karl Baysa, and John Rivera coming back from their University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Beach Volleyball campaign, the Ateneo Blue Eagles dominated the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws in straight sets, 25-21, 25-22, 25-16, on Saturday, October 14 at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan City.
The Blue Eagles take home the trophy in the inaugural season of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Men’s Collegiate Conference. The team also garnered five individual awards, three of which were awarded to Espejo.
Manuel Sumanguid acquired the best libero award for his defensive prowess while Ish Polvorosa’s playmaking earned him the best setter in the league award. Espejo collected his 9th and 10th Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards as a Blue Eagle after being named Conference MVP and Finals MVP. He was also given the best outside spiker award for his unstoppable offense.
Head coach Oliver Almadro started his usual seven of Espejo, Chu Njigha, Polvorosa, Baysa, Gian Glorioso, and Rivera, with Sumanguid at libero. He also had Ron Medalla come off the bench in the last two sets as well as bringing in Pau Trinidad as a pinch server in the first two sets.
Espejo led the team with 14 spikes, four service aces, and two kill blocks. Behind him was Glorioso who finished with 10 points on 9/16 spiking while Polvorosa ended the game with 30 of 78 excellent sets.
FEU took the lead early in the first as their deficit sat at two after an attack error by Polvorosa entering the first technical timeout (TTO), 6-8. The Blue Eagles attempted to mount a comeback, and consecutive service aces by Espejo cut the FEU lead to one, 14-15. A kill block by Glorioso gave the Blue Eagles a two-point lead, 19-17. Ateneo kept the attacks coming and they eventually closed out the set with a kill by Rivera that went off the lone blocker, 25-21.
Looking to prevent another straight set sweep, the Tamaraws went on another early run that had them lead by two at the first TTO thanks to a running spike by Peter Quiel, 6-8. The Blue Eagles were able to fight back and take the lead by the second TTO thanks to a quick attack by Njigha, 16-15. A service error by Trinidad tied the game late into the set, 21-21. The Blue and White then closed out the set with a 4-1 scoring run with Espejo taking the last point with a strong service ace, 25-22.
With one set away from the title, the Blue Eagles turned the tables on the Tamaraws and went on an early run to lead by two at the first TTO thanks to a kill off the block by Rivera, 8-6. A wayward attack by FEU’s Richard Solis further widened Ateneo’s advantage at the second TTO, 16-12. A strong cross court spike by Espejo brought his team to within just three points of taking the match, 22-15. With a seven-point lead, Coach Almadro brought in Lawrence Magadia while seemingly shifting Polvorosa to the utility spiker position in the last rally. However, before this experimental rotation had the chance to be tested, Magadia’s serve ended up as a service ace, 25-16, for the Blue Eagles to win the PVL championship.
Slow starts, a lack of cohesiveness, and a lack of confidence for the newcomers are still problems for the team according to Coach Almadro.
However, he also mentioned specific players who held their own during their PVL title run. “Good thing nag-step-up naman si Gian [Glorioso], si Chumason Njigha, [and] John Rivera coming back from an injury,” said the Ateneo coach, while also praising the leadership that veterans Espejo, Baysa, Polvorosa, and Sumanguid provided.
One strength Coach Almadro also observed was on the mental aspect of the game, saying that his team had the “mindset, that they will always do right no matter what.”
Box Scores
Ateneo: Espejo – 20, Glorioso – 10, Rivera – 8, Njigha – 6, Polvorosa – 4, Baysa – 3, Medalla – 3, Magadia – 1, Sumanguid – 1
FEU: Paler – 8, Bautista – 7, Quiel – 7, Solis – 6, Bugaoan – 6, Dablo – 3, Garcia – 2, Suarez – 1
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