A POWERFUL topspin serve from Ron Medalla sealed the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ seventh win in the 81st season of University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), as they dispatched their Katipunan neighbors, the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, in four sets, 25-16, 25-21, 23-25, 25-22, on April 6, at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

Open spiker Ron Medalla showcased his scoring prowess with 21 points, four of which came from aces, while John Rivera recorded a triple-double of 15 points, 15 excellent digs, and 24 excellent receptions. Middle blockers Gian Glorioso and Chu Njigha earned 14 points apiece with five of the latter’s tally coming off blocks. Tony Koyfman put up 12 markers and Egie Magadia distributed the ball masterfully with 41 excellent sets.

Only two Fighting Maroons ended the match in double figures. John Millete paced his side with 12 spike points, two blocks, and a service ace. Jerry San Pedro had 11 points and Nicolo Consuelo finished with nine markers.

Medalla, Rivera, Glorioso, Njigha, Koyfman, Magadia, and Manuel Sumanguid composed the starting unit of the Ateneo Blue Eagles. Kurt Aguilar, Ariel Morado, Luis Ligot, Canciano Llenos, and Basti Cuerva made substitute appearances.

Njigha set the tone of the team’s net defense, getting a kill-block on the contest’s first rally. Ateneo pulled ahead through Magadia’s superb ball distribution on the attack right before Medalla’s service ace got them to the first technical timeout (TTO), 8-3. Medalla and veteran Rivera showed their worth to their side, completely taking over the first set. The Magadia-Glorioso connection for a quick attack finally gave Ateneo a 1-0 set lead, 25-16.

An error-filled start to the second set hampered the Blue Eagles’ momentum, as they trailed by three heading into the first technical timeout, 5-8. Ateneo slowly recovered with better offensive execution and took the lead through Njigha’s quick spike, 16-15. The Blue and White managed to stretch their advantage to five before Medalla scored an ace from the service line to claim a 2-0 set lead, 25-21. The Blue and White managed to stretch their lead to five before Medalla scored from the service line to claim the second set for his side, 25-22.

The third set began with an exchange of runs; UP jumped to a 1-3 lead as Medalla’s spike failed to go over the line. The Fighting Maroons’ attack error then gave a one-point lead to the Blue and White in the first technical timeout, 8-7. A down-the-line hit from Rivera gave the Blue Eagles a 14-9 lead but Ateneo squandered the big lead, only taking a 16-15 advantage to the second technical timeout. The state university rode on their momentum and powered through the rest of the set, sealing set three with a service ace, 23-25.

Koyfman’s early intelligent play won his side the lead going into the first technical timeout, 8-7. Ateneo’s middle blockers then stole the show in the fourth set. Glorioso and Njigha put up quick attacks, one after another, extending the advantage to as much as seven, 20-13. UP clawed its way back to four-point deficit at 20-16, but the gap proved to be too wide as Medalla grabbed match point with a powerful serve, 25-22.

The Ateneo Blue Eagles will look to add another win on Wednesday, April 10, when they take on the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers for their fifth match of the second round at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.

Box score

Ateneo: Medalla 21, Rivera 15, Glorioso 14, Njigha 14, Koyfman 12, Magadia 1

UP: Millette 15, San Pedro 11, Consuelo 9, San Pascual 6, Ijiran 3, Baldelovar 2, Castillo 1

Set scores

Ateneo-UP: 25-16, 25-21, 23-25, 25-22

Photo by James B. Gavina