THE ATENEO Blue Eagles capped off their University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87’s first round campaign with a backbreaking five-set win against the University of the East (UE) Lady Red Warriors, 20-25, 25-16, 22-25, 25-15, 15-13. The match was held earlier today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
This win puts the Blue Eagles’ win-loss record at 2-5 after playing the first seven matches in the elimination round of the Women’s Volleyball tournament.
AC Miner piloted the Blue and White after tallying 23 points off 20 attacks that earned her Player of the Game honors. Accompanying the hot-handed Miner were Team Captain Lyann De Guzman and Zey Pacia, who combined for 28 attacks while notching 17 points apiece.
The Katipunan-based squad got off to a slow start in the first set, committing multiple errors and finding trouble receiving UE’s attacks, 2-5. Ateneo’s blockers struggled containing UE’s KC Cepeda and Rizza Nogales as the Lady Warrior duo widened the deficit, 5-11.
Down six, Head Coach Sergio Veloso called a timeout to rally the Blue and White to play with more energy and precision. After the huddle, the rejuvenated Blue Eagles went on a quick 5-2 run courtesy of Blue Eagle skipper De Guzman and Miner, 10-13.
However, Ateneo failed to fully turn the tides as their lack of blocking proved detrimental, 16-19. To the Blue and White’s dismay, the Lady Warriors pulled away as subpar receiving and blocking plagued the Blue Eagles, 20-25.
Nogales continued to pester Ateneo’s spikers at the start of the second set, registering four clean blocks that quickly brought the Blue Eagles to their heels, 1-7.
With their escalated sense of urgency, Ateneo found their offensive rhythm through Yvanna Sulit, De Guzman, and Jihan Chuatico, who powered a 10-2 run that allowed the Blue and White to claw back and taste their first lead of the game, 11-9.
While UE showed signs of life after securing two quick points that put the game at an 11-all deadlock, Pacia spoiled the Lady Red Warriors’ comeback bid as she stunned them with four consecutive attacks, 15-12.
Not resting on their laurels, the Blue and White feasted on the error-plagued Lady Red Warriors by orchestrating another 9-3 salvo courtesy of De Guzman and Pacia’s string of offense, 24-15. At set point, Chuatico surprised UE’s blockers with a quick attack to hand the second set to the Blue and White, 25-16.
Despite looking to break the deadlock, the Blue Eagles started the third frame sluggishly as UE’s Van Bangayan caused problems through check balls and a service ace, 3-8. Down early in the third set, the Katipunan-based squad committed multiple violations as they struggled to convert off Taks Fujimoto’s sets, forcing Coach Veloso to call for time, 6-13.
Coming off the huddle, the Blue Eagles still struggled against Bangayan as she displayed her arsenal of attacks, 14-20. Down six, Ateneo decided to make key adjustments in their game plan to bank on Miner’s efficient offense more.
With sets being thrown her way, the veteran helped spark an incredible 7-1 run to tie the game at the tailend of the set, 21-21. Despite making the comeback, however, the Blue Eagles failed to capitalize due to multiple errors, surrendering the third set to UE, 22-25.
Keen on forcing a decider, Miner continued to fuel the Blue and White by notching five masterful points off attacks to establish an early four-point lead, 7-3. From there, the game went from pillar to post as both squads exchanged blows, arranging their own versions of small runs.
However, the Katipunan-based squad remained in the driver’s seat after mounting a 7-1 run that helped them establish a seven-point lead at the latter part of the set, 18-11.
While the Recto-based squad managed to trim the lead to just five, 19-14, Ateneo’s 4-0 counter run quickly nixed UE’s comeback attempt to help them maintain their huge lead, 23-14. Needing two more points to bring the match to set five, Chuatico scored off a powerful spike and an emphatic block, respectively, to finally seal the fourth set for Ateneo, 25-15.
Both teams entered the final frame eager to take home the win, made evident by consecutive long rallies that led to a 4-all deadlock. Despite the mastery shown by UE, the Blue and White snatched the early edge, 7-4, with a 3-0 run courtesy of an ace and back-to-back attacks from Miner.
Leaning on their 8-6 lead, the Blue Eagles continued their dominant form, with Chuatico providing valuable points in the middle along with a service ace from Alex Montoro, 14-9.
While the Blue and White only needed one more point to seal the win, the Katipunan-based squad failed to immediately close out the match as Bangayan came in clutch for UE, scoring four straight points to cut the lead down to one, 14-13. Despite the late-game scare, Ateneo’s De Guzman remained collected, unleashing a crosscourt bomb to cap off the five-set slugfest, 15-13.
Ending their first round of elimination matches on a resounding high, the Blue Eagles aim to continue their winning ways in the second round of eliminations. The schedules for the remaining games of Season 87 are to be announced at a later date.
Box scores:
Ateneo (3): Miner – 23, De Guzman – 17, Pacia – 17, Chuatico – 10, Sulit – 6, Silla – 4, Fujimoto – 1, Montoro – 1, Hugo – 1
UE (2): Bangayan – 24, Nogales – 14, Cepada – 10, Balingit – 9, Famulagan – 7, Canete – 2, Ecalla – 1
Set scores:
Ateneo-UE: 20-25, 25-16, 22-25, 25-15, 15-13
Current Standings (W-L):
- NU Lady Bulldogs (6-0)
- UST Golden Tigresses (5-1)
- FEU Lady Tamaraws (4-2)
- DLSU Lady Spikers (4-2)
- AdU Lady Falcons (2-4)
- UP Fighting Maroons (2-4)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (2-5)
- UE Lady Red Warriors (0-7)
