Nearing the end of this year’s University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 Women’s Volleyball tournament, this weekly series navigates through the Blue Eagles as they aim to revive the glory days of Ateneo Volleyball.

THE ATENEO Women’s Volleyball Team (AWVT) officially bowed out of postseason contention after enduring a heartbreaking turn of events against Final Four contenders.

Ateneo’s three-game winning streak came to an abrupt end with consecutive sweeping losses at the hands of the De La Salle University Lady Spikers and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses.

Facing elimination, the Blue Eagles then failed to keep their postseason bid alive in a four-set affair against the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws.

Now with two games remaining, the Blue and White enter the final stretch of the season with nothing to lose—a dangerous formula for any team who dares to take them lightly.

Separating the great from the good

Caleb: Establishing one’s case to be considered amongst the league’s finest depends not only on beaming talent and versatile play, but also on an unshakable system and mental fortitude to close out games. At the very least, that is what the Blue Eagles’ recent string of losses has shown us.

Squaring up against Final Four caliber teams, the Katipunan-based squad often found themselves crumbling under pressure, conceding highly-contested bouts particularly to streaking postseason contenders.

An overarching theme in the Blue and White’s past three defeats was their ability to seize early control of the sets, only to drop the frames via unanswered runs and defensive miscues. Ateneo’s matches against the Lady Tamaraws and the Golden Tigresses saw two sets decided by two points and two sets going into extended affair, respectively. While both games could have gone either way, UST and FEU’s collective composure amid back-and-forth rallies ultimately spelled the difference, as they handed the Blue Eagles decisive losses.

However, make no mistake: with AC Miner and Lyann De Guzman at the helm, Ateneo’s offense is on par with the league’s best. In contrast, what appears to be the glaring flaw is the squad’s continued lack of resistance on the defensive end.

Prior to last Wednesday’s match against FEU, the Blue Eagles ranked dead last in digging and blocking, averaging 9.45 digs and 0.95 blocks per set—both well below the league average. True enough, such discrepancies always appear in the end game where early advantages built off frontrow conversions do not suffice, as defensive coverages break down in the clutch.

Capitalizing on these gaps and displaying their postseason worth, UST’s Angge Poyos and FEU’s Faida Bakanke powered their respective squads, scoring with poise and wit in the late game to rattle a reeling Ateneo side. Unable to establish their net defense and floor coverage against well-timed attacks, the Blue Eagles repeatedly surrendered a comfortable cushion down the wire.

While the Blue Eagles are officially out of contention, the fight is far from over. For the young guns, this year’s experiences only lay the foundation in forging endgame poise and resiliency. The rookies will remain crucial pieces in the hopes of restoring Ateneo’s postseason glory in the seasons to come.  Meanwhile, for the graduating veterans, the last two games are a chance to cap off their collegiate careers on a high, representing the One Big Fight for one final time.

Turning dirt into gold 

Ravi: If there is one positive outlook in Ateneo’s premature elimination, it is the breakout season of Zey Pacia. Next to De Guzman and Miner, the all-around player—who is now in her second year of playing in the UAAP—has emerged as a steady third option for the Blue and White.

Her rise has come as a pleasant surprise to many, given that she sustained an injury in the preseason and saw limited minutes in the first few games of the AWVT. In an injury-riddled campaign, however, Pacia took it upon herself to fill in the void left from losing three scoring threats. From switching between playing middle blocker and opposite hitter last season, the Blue Eagle was converted to a reliable outside hitter—proving her value as a versatile weapon.

Setter Taks Fujimoto has consistently turned to Pacia when Ateneo faces set-point deficits, such as in these plays against UP and UST. The outside hitter’s relentless effort to keep on finding a way to attack opposing defenses has been an invaluable asset in her evolution as a scoring machine.

For Pacia, the adjustment was necessary to contribute to her team. 

“Since short kami sa tao, we embraced every role na binigay ni coach and fill in lang talaga sa makakaya namin (Since we are short in personnel, we embraced every role that coach gave us and filled in for what we could.)” said Pacia after delivering her season-high of 17 points  against UE.

Pacia’s initiative to seize the opportunity sets a precedent of how her teammates should treat the remaining games. After all, Head Coach Sergio Veloso has given everyone an equal chance to prove themselves, even letting his second-unit players close out the backend of tightly-contested sets.

While the rest of Ateneo’s young core has shown potential, they have yet to reap the benefits of the confidence Veloso instills in them—particularly when it comes to delivering during crucial moments.

With little pressure left, the next two matches will serve as a test to determine who else can step into the limelight next season. The question remains as to whether the Blue Eagles continue to let their youth define them, or finally break out of the cage and give the Ateneo community one last stand to cheer for.

Don’t dream it’s over

Carmela: I recently learned a concept from my History class: Interregnum is a period of time where an old order is losing its place while a new one is yet to be established. This break in power is filled with uncertainty as one tries to navigate their way back to their rightful seat. For the AWVT, their long transitional journey has yet to be fulfilled.

It has been three seasons since they made a Final Four appearance. For some, it was a disappointing turnout. Given that they managed to win three straight games during their second round stint, the Ateneo faithful believed that all would fall into place in the end. But perhaps, even with all the heartbreak, these girls of Katipunan are on the right track after all.

Season 87 has been a year of the strongest soldiers. The AWVT entered and remained in the battlefield severely unmanned, with Sobe Buena and Zel Tsunashima joining the already down Jennifer Delos Santos after the first round.. Still, they fought hard to overcome their hurdles each time. If this were a test of strength, the Blue Eagles certainly proved themselves to be more than worthy.

The AWVT braved through every storm and current that came in their way. Just from that, I can say that their Season 87 campaign was not put to waste. In the midseason takeaways before the start of the second round, I mentioned how the team suffered numerous TOTGAs this season. Looking at it now, I might have been wrong—nothing is ever a loss if perception is earned. Were they able to get by? I would proudly say so. It may have been different from what I expected, but it was nothing short of admirable.

In order to create an enduring rule, a team must take its time: go back to the foundations and cover all the fields. No matter how long it takes, all will be worthwhile as long as they continue to fight. If it hasn’t been said enough, I would like to congratulate the Blue Eagles for putting up a good fight. As they pick up the pieces of what is left, may these women build a fortune-filled future out of it.

Upcoming games

Sunday, April 13, at 1:00 PM, vs. the National University Lady Bulldogs at the Smart Araneta Coliseum

Saturday, April 26, at 1:00 PM, vs. the University of the East Red Warriors at the Smart Araneta Coliseum