THE ATENEO Blue Eagles bowed down to the National University (NU) Bulldogs in straight sets, 16-21, 17-21, and failed to bounce back with another loss to the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, 15-21, 14-21, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 84 Men’s Beach Volleyball Tournament.

The two straight losses put the Blue Eagles’ record for the season at 3-3 after the third day of the elimination round.

Ateneo vs NU

Ateneo struggled early on as NU’s James Buytrago dominated with blocks and off-speed hits that resulted in five consecutive points for the Bulldogs to start the match. Ateneo veteran Abai Llenos finally put an end to NU’s streak with a solid rejection at the wing followed by a smart 1-2 play. Despite the defensive efforts of the Blue Eagles, NU still outscored the Katipunan duo through better offensive strategies that increased the score gap to eight, 5-13 in favor of NU.

Ateneo started losing momentum in the game, but Amil Pacinio and Llenos regained their confidence after chalking up blocks and attacks to score three straight points, 10-15. On the opposite end, NU’s Pol Salvador continued landing impressive attacks to extend the Bulldogs’ lead, making it more difficult for the Blue Eagles to catch up. While the Blue Eagles managed to cut the lead down to four, a set followed by a crosscourt attack from Buytrago secured NU the first set, 16-21.

In contrast to the first set, the Blue Eagles dictated the initial pace of the second set. With a perfectly-angled crosscourt shot, Pacinio stepped up for Ateneo and sparked an offensive run. Llenos banked on this momentum with lone blocks at the net that brought the Blue Eagles up 9-4. After the court switch, the Bulldogs adjusted their offense to keep Ateneo’s plays in check. Llenos responded with two successive attacks to extend Ateneo’s lead to four, 11-7, but NU countered via Buytrago’s blocks and Salvador’s aggressive down-the-line shots that notched five points in a row for the Bulldogs.

The latter half of the set remained neck-and-neck as both teams exchanged points that tied the game at 17-17. As the Blue Eagles were unable to follow through with their attacks and provide coverage, the Blue and Gold ended the match with an off-the-block attack and three crucial unforced errors from Ateneo, 17-21.

Ateneo vs UP

Hoping to bounce back from their previous loss, the Blue Eagles were unable to secure a win against UP’s Dan Nicolas and Louis Gamban.

Despite their best efforts, Ateneo failed to take control of the game in the first set as strong services from the Fighting Maroons secured the set, 15-21, in UP’s favor. With momentum on their side, Nicolas and Gamban continued the UP dominance to win the second set, 14-21, and cement the victory over their Katipunan rivals.

Throughout the match, the Fighting Maroons used a variety of shots to sweep the Blue and White. Despite their successful attacks and service aces, Llenos and Pacinio’s efforts were not enough to secure a win for Ateneo. Nicolas’ and Gamban’s aggressive attacks and defensive plays outscored the Blue and White to end UP’s three-game losing streak and pick up their second win of the season.

Having played their last match of the elimination rounds, the Blue Eagles now await the results from the final round of games to learn their final standing. If necessary, a playoff to decide the final standings will be held after the final round of games on Friday, June 3, at the Sands at SM by the Bay. The top four teams will play in the semi-finals on Saturday, June 4, at the Sands at SM by the Bay.