THE ATENEO Blue Eagles were defeated by the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, 20-25, 21-25, 22-25 on Wednesday, March 4, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The loss puts the Blue Eagles at a 0-1 record in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 82 Men’s Volleyball Tournament.
Chumason Njigha led the Blue and White with 12 points. Gian Glorioso and Kurt Aguilar followed Njigha’s offensive output with 11 and nine points, respectively.
The starting lineup for the Blue and White included Egie Magadia, Njigha, Glorioso, Aguilar, Basti Cuerva, and Ron Medalla. Manning the defense was returning key veteran Manuel Sumanguid.
The UP Fighting Maroons’ service sailed out of bounds to hand the first point of Ateneo’s season, 1-0. However, momentum did not stay on the side of the Blue and White for long as UP’s quick kill from the middle sent the match into a technical timeout (TTO), 5-8. In the dying moments of the set, the Blue Eagles struggled to keep pace with the Fighting Maroons as UP ended the set with a power-play from the middle, 21-25.
Njigha’s drop ball was well-read by UP’s blockers at the net to begin the second set, 0-1. As the set progressed, Ateneo’s best efforts to stay alive fell short as UP continued to attack Ateneo’s defense from all sides of the court, with UP ultimately ending the second set with a joust at the net, 20-25.
The Blue Eagles controlled the first few points of the third set, but an unsuccessful call for a challenge tied the game at 2-2. Magadia’s sneaky 1-2 play propelled the Blue and White to the first TTO with the advantage, 8-7. UP then continued to build their lead until Ateneo forced a long ball, getting the first deadlock of the game, 11-11.
However, after the second TTO, UP tied the game with another cross-court smash, 18-18. Towards the end of the match, the Blue Eagles struggled to defend Louis Gamban’s powerful spikes, resulting in Ateneo’s first loss of the season, 22-25.
Their next game will be against the De La Salle University Green Spikers on Saturday, March 7, 2:00 PM, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
