THE ATENEO Men’s Volleyball Team (AMVT) were silenced by the Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL) Knights in three sets, 22-25, 22-25, 16-25, yesterday at the Paco Arena in the City of Manila. This loss puts the Blue Eagles at a 1-2 win-loss record in the preliminary round of the 2024 V-League Collegiate Challenge.
Spearheading the Blue and White in a losing effort was Opposite Hitter Kennedy Batas, who garnered 16 markers in the game.
On the other side of the net, Middle Blocker Vince Himzon made life difficult for the Blue Eagles with his powerful attacks, tallying 13 points from 11 kills and two blocks.
The opening set saw the Blue Eagles take an early 8-4 advantage via a combination of their opponent’s repeated service errors and conversions from veterans Batas and Jettlee Gopio. However, this dominant display quickly faded as the Katipunan-based squad struggled to contain attacks from Letran’s Himzon and Derrick Bautista, allowing the opposition to claw back and tie the set at 16-all.
Looking to regain momentum for his squad, Outside Hitter Jian Salarzon executed a variety of attacks capped off by a service ace to keep the Blue and White within striking distance, 22-24. Ateneo’s reception woes persisted, however, with Letran eventually claiming the set with a statement spike by Dave Lardizabal, 22-25.
In the following frame, both units displayed heightened intensity, exchanging points until Ateneo committed a service error, 7-9. After securing a two-point lead, CSJL further padded their cushion to 16-12 by taking advantage of the Blue Eagles’ consistent miscues. The court continued to be controlled by Letran with Ateneo struggling to regain the lead in the set, which ultimately ended with a Himzon drop, 25-22.
Batas kicked off the third set with a surprise tipped ball into Letran’s side to draw first blood. Despite Batas’ early efforts, Letran went on a fierce 10-2 run courtesy of Santamaria and Himzon, along with some errors from the Blue and White.
With the looming threat of a 0-3 sweep, Ateneo fought back and cut Letran’s seven-point lead to four, 7-11, thanks to the help of Kristofer Alejos and Salarzon. Unfortunately, Ateneo’s momentum was cut short by the combined attacks of Himzon and Vicente, which put Ateneo in an 8-14 disadvantage. This resurgence helped the Intramuros-based squad to regain their tempo, further stretching their lead to 22-15.
Although the Blue Eagles found openings in the Knights’ defense, their repeated errors resulted in a dreaded sweep after the final set concluded at 16-25. Ateneo’s loss marked CSJL’s first victory in the preseason tournament.
Aspiring to get back on the winning column, the Blue Eagles will look to conquer rivals De La Salle University Green Spikers next week, August 18, at 10:00 AM in the same venue.
Box scores:
Ateneo (0): Batas – 16, Salarzon – 8, Alejos – 7, Gopio – 4, Sendon – 3, Almadro – 1
CSJL (3): Sta. Maria – 14, Himzon – 13, Bautista – 11, Lardizabal – 9. Vicente – 8, Arano – 3
Set scores:
Ateneo-CSJL: 22-25, 22-25, 16-25
Current Standings (W-L)
- DLSU Green Spikers (2-0)
- FEU Tamaraws (2-0)
- NU Bulldogs (2-1)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (1-2)
- UST Golden Spikers (1-2)
- UPHSD Altas (1-1)
- CSJL Knights (1-2)
- EAC Generals (0-2)
