THE ATENEO Blue Eagles captured their first win in the 2025 V-League Collegiate Challenge Men’s Volleyball Tournament after sweeping the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights, 25-17, 25-23, 25-21. The match took place earlier today, August 10, at Paco Arena, Manila.
Spearheading the scoreboard for the Blue Eagles was returning veteran Amil Pacinio, who was hailed Player of the Game after tallying 19 points off 14 attacks and five blocks.
After an underwhelming opener, Pacinio’s timely debut established the momentum for the Blue Eagles, 1-1. Complementing Pacinio’s offensive hustle were libero Lance De Castro, who exhibited stellar floor coverage, and Team Captain Jian Salarzon, who displayed impressive wing play, 3-3.
Orchestrating perfect three-hit plays from De Castro’s arduous digs, Salarzon and Pacinio were able to deliver for the Blue Eagles–maintaining two-point leads throughout the early sequences of the set, 6-4.
Ateneo’s in-game chemistry was then briefly challenged by Letran’s Vince Himzon and John Sumagaysay, following the opposition’s aggressive attack front, 7-8. However, the Blue Eagles’ polished net defense fortified their lead at 10-8.
Maintaining composure throughout the set, the Blue Eagles leaned on Salarzon and Miguel Yu’s off-the-block kills to keep their advantage, 14-11. As the veteran wingers solidified their excellent offensive performance, Ateneo swiftly entered the back end of the set after Pacinio’s monster block, 21-15.
The Blue and White’s commanding performance sealed their first set victory with a statement crosscourt kill from Salarzon, 25-17.
Sustaining their red-hot momentum from the first set, the tandem of Rodge Alejos and Yu led the way for a blistering 4-0 start, which opened the second set in favor of the Blue Eagles. Despite unforced errors stymying Ateneo’s dominance, the Katipunan-based unit remained in control, maintaining a 9-5 advantage.
Midway through the second set, the Blue Eagles struggled to keep up with Letran middle attacker Himzon, as the two squads found themselves deadlocked at 14-all. Halting the momentum from the Knights, an off-the-block attack by Salarzon followed by a powerful block from Rodge Alejos put the Blue Eagles back in front, 16-14.
Continuing to guard the nets, the improved blocking from the Loyola Heights-based unit pushed the lead back to five, 21-16. However, the Knights fought back once again, with a Maximuz Lopez cross-court attack that concluded a 6-1 Letran run to tie the set, 22-22. The Blue Eagles remained level-headed as the set intensified, forcing back-to-back errors from Letran and capturing the second set, 25-23.
With the opportunity to close the match in straight sets, the Blue Eagles entered the third frame cold, as a downpour of passing errors saw them quickly fall into a 3-7 disadvantage. Aiming to rally back, Brian Castro delivered a massive block to cut the lead, 6-10. Yet, the Blue Eagles were still unable to find their rhythm, as the Knights pounced on their communication errors for Letran’s largest lead of the contest, 7-13.
Providing the spark for the Blue and White, Pacinio delivered a thunderous kill into the middle of the court, capping off a 3-0 run, 10-13. Hot on the trails of the Knights, Pacinio showed his prowess on the defensive end as well, stonewalling Letran’s Lorenzo Vicente at the net, which tied the game at 15-all.
As rookie Preece Atendido towered over the Letran wall, the Blue Eagles surged forward, 18-17. Proving to be an early dagger in the match, a beautiful tip shot by Pacinio pushed Ateneo into a 21-19 advantage. As the final blow in the match, Alejos once again skied for a game-winning block, closing the match at 25-21.
Following this triumphant victory, the Blue Eagles aim to build on their momentum as they battle against the National University Bulldogs on Saturday, August 16, at 5:00 PM at the same venue as today’s contest.
Set scores:
Ateneo (3) – Letran (0): 25-17, 25-23, 25-21
Current Standings (W/L)
- NU Bulldogs (1-0)
- UST Golden Spikers (1-0)
- DLSU Green Spikers (1-0)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (1-1)
- FEU Tamaraws (0-0)
- CSB Blazers (0-0)
- CSJL Knights (0-1)
- Arellano Chiefs (0-2)
