DESPITE OPENING the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 Women’s Volleyball Tournament with renewed ardor, the Ateneo Blue Eagles were denied match honors by the  University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors, 25-20, 17-25, 23-25, 18-25. Ateneo saw their 14-year winning streak over UE shattered earlier today at the Mall of Asia Arena in the City of Pasay.

Fortifying the Katipunan wall, opposite hitter Lyann De Guzman led the Blue and White with 19 points in an outstanding attacking performance. Trading more points were Jennifer Delos Santos and Geezel Tsunashima who tallied 12 and 10 points respectively. Leading the Sampaloc-based squad was Casley Dongallo, who challenged the Blue Eagles with her headstrong attack front and 27 total points.

Opening the first canto in Season 86 with De Guzman’s power hit gave Ateneo the early momentum, breaking through the defense of UE’s Yesha Rojo and Kayce Balingit. Tsunashima’s relentless ball kills spearheaded Ateneo’s excellent attack front in the first set. An influx of miscalculated hits hurt UE’s production, giving the Loyola Heights-based squad the upper hand in the scoreboard, 8-4. De Guzman’s offensive hustle in the latter portion of the frame paved the way for Ateneo to steal the first set of the match, 25-20.

Despite the Blue Eagles’ assertive attacks in the first set, the Lady Warriors rebounded and took their first lead of the game with aggressive crosscourt kills, 4-1. However, the Blue and White regained momentum and found their offensive rhythm after Tsunashima and Delos Santos’s consecutive crosscourt attacks. UE’s timely defensive stops challenged Ateneo’s strenuous efforts to keep the ball alive, with faulty reception being exhibited on the Blue Eagles’ side of the court. UE Team Captain Kizzie Madriaga finished the job and evened the contest at a set apiece with a commendable power drop, 25-17.

Hoping to bounce back in the third set, Ateneo saw a glaring opportunity to challenge the Lady Warriors’ defensive lapses with their willful off-the-block attacks. Alexis Miner’s extensive net domination in the long rally deadlocked the crucial set, 6-6. Delos Santos’s consecutive heavy kills further sparked Ateneo as they grabbed their first lead of the set at 8-6. Countering stifling digs made by the Sergio Veloso-coached squad was UE’s Dongallo, who powered through the net with heavy slam-downs. With UE starting to command the game’s flow, the Blue Eagles failed to regain composure amid the physical stipulation posed by their foe. The Lady Warriors capitalized and took the contest’s upper hand after Balingit captured the fourth set with a crosscourt attack to push the Blue Eagles at the brink of a loss, 25-23.

Starting a critical fourth set with cold feet, the Blue Eagles failed to establish in-court chemistry amid their influx of errors. UE’s Dongallo extended the challenge for the Blue Eagles with her monster blocks and crosscourt attacks, tallying more points for the Lady Warriors. Despite Ateneo’s determination to extend the contest, their efforts fell short, handing match honors to UE for the first time in 14 years after an 18-25 final set.

Seeking to avenge a historic loss, the Blue Eagles aim to shock the formidable National University Lady Bulldogs next Saturday at 5:00 PM in the same venue.

Box scores:

Ateneo: De Guzman – 19, Delos Santos – 12, Tsunashima – 10, Buena – 5, Miner – 3, Sulit – 3, Pacia – 1, Fujimoto – 1

UE : Dongallo – 27, Nogales – 13, Balingit – 12, Madriaga – 5, Fernandez – 2, Cepada – 1, Nierva – 1

 Set scores: 25-20, 17-25, 23-25, 18-25