FINISHING OFF with a flawless record, the Ateneo Women’s Volleyball Team (AWVT) shined with a straight-set victory in the title match against the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) Blue Knights, claiming the Jesuit Athletic Meet crown.
The finals were held earlier today in the Ateneo Senior High School Formation and Learning Center Building in Quezon City.
The Blue Eagles uncharacteristically struggled to begin their championship matchup with consecutive errors. Capitalizing on their Katipunan-based foes’ mishaps, Ateneo de Davao’s Saara Emy Taguiran came up big for the Blue Knights with a flurry of attacks midway through the frame. However, the AWVT swung the game back to their side with Alexia Montoro’s combination of spikes and aces to survive the first set, 25-22.
Ateneo de Manila continued their strong performance in the second and deciding set, taking an early 8-2 lead to force the Blue Knights to call timeout. Even after the break, the Blue Eagles reaffirmed their dominance as Montoro fueled a run with beautifully placed serves, stretching their lead to 20-9. Riding their momentum, Quimpo sealed the deal for the AWVT to keep the gold in Loyola Heights, 25-14.
With their decisive championship victory, blue chip recruit Montoro emphasized the significance of their tournament win in their preparation for Season 87.
“I think it’s quite big because we’re [heading into] the season and this will be one of our preparations,” Montoro mentioned.
The AWVT aims to carry their winning ways into their upcoming University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) campaign, which kicks off on February 15 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Set scores:
Ateneo de Manila-Ateneo de Davao: 25-22, 25-14