THE ATENEO Women’s Volleyball team kicked off their Shakey’s Super League Preseason Unity Cup campaign in winning fashion, dispatching the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (UPHSD) Lady Altas in straight sets, 25-16, 26-24, 25-17. The matchup was held earlier today, September 27, at the Playtime Filoil Centre in the City of San Juan.
Yssa Nisperos was hailed as Most Valuable Player of the Match after tallying 13 points off 12 attacks and one ace throughout the match.
In their first match of the tournament, the Blue Eagles started the game cold, falling into an early 0-2 deficit. Quick to bounce back, the Blue and White rattled off three straight points, capped by middle blocker Rob Silla’s service ace, 3-2. Following a strong attack from Ana Hermosura, Silla added two more points from the service line, increasing the Blue Eagle lead, 6-2.
However, the Blue Eagles were unable to sustain their momentum, as the Katipunan-based unit struggled to penetrate the Lady Altas’ towering block, 6-7. Following an exchange of points throughout the middle of the set, Ateneo turned to ace opposite Zey Pacia, who scored back-to-back crosscourt attacks to surge Ateneo ahead, 13-10. Joining her fellow Atenean opposite, Nisperos attacked the porous Perpetual net defense, earning consecutive off-the-block points, 18-12.
Deploying a double-substitution consisting of setter Taks Fujimoto and opposite Gena Hora, the latter quickly made her mark, soaring through the air to extend Ateneo’s lead, 20-14. With the first set victory within reach, the left-handed attacker once again delivered with a powerful spike, sealing it for Ateneo, 25-16.
Entering the second set with confidence, the Blue Eagles remained undeterred despite UPHSD’s solidifying attack front, 0-2. Subsequently, returning veteran Geezel Tsunashima quickly answered their reinforced offensive approach with her consecutive attacks from the right and left wings, 2-4.
The following sequences saw the Blue Eagles capitalize on their impressive wing unit, with Tsunashima spearheading a five-point run, 7-4. Despite an error-plagued opposition, Ateneo’s faulty reception and defensive lapses handed their lead to the Lady Altas at 13-14.
This resurgence from the Lady Altas prompted Tsunashima to reestablish her dominance with back-to-back off-the-block kills at 17-16. Bolstered by Dona de Leon’s statement attacks from the middle, the Blue Eagles entered the backend of the set with a comfortable lead, 23-20.
Despite having the upperhand, the Blue Eagles suffered from their own attack errors and paved the way for the Lady Altas to secure a deadlock at 24-24. However, the consistent showing of De Leon from the middle ground sealed Ateneo’s second advantage of the match, 26-24.
Eager to cap off their brilliant performance with a third set victory, the squad from Loyola Heights gained an early 3-1 advantage after Jihan Chuatico’s above-the-tape block. Showcasing incredible floor defense, the Blue Eagles continued to frustrate the Lady Altas’ attackers, as Nisperos’ four consecutive points and Chuatico’s tip-shot put Ateneo firmly ahead, 8-3.
Despite a very strong start in the third set, the Ateneans struggled to contain Lady Altas’ outside hitter Cyrille Almeniaña, as the team’s point lead dwindled down to four, 11-7. Unable to break the Zapote-based unit’s scoring run, another strong attack from Camille Bustamante further cut the Blue Eagle advantage, 12-10.
Steadying the ship once more for the Ateneo attack, the duo of Chuatico and Nisperos stabilized the Blue Eagles, reestablishing a four-point advantage, 16-12. Adding onto her already impressive performance, Nisperos contributed another service ace to Ateneo’s tally, staying in the lead, 19-15.
As the Blue Eagles marched towards their first victory of the tournament, the Lady Altas’ continued to commit multiple errors, giving Ateneo a comfortable lead, 22-16. Closing in on the win, a final off-the-block point from Chuatico sealed the victory for the Blue Eagles, 25-17.
Hoping to sustain this momentum, the Blue Eagles look to seal another success in their next game against the San Sebastian Lady Stags, 12:00 PM, Saturday, October 4, with the venue to be announced.
Set scores:
Ateneo-UPHSD: 25-16, 26-24, 25-17
Pool D Current Standings (W-L):
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (1-0)
- UPHSD Lady Altas (1-1)
- SSC-R Lady Stags (0-1)
- DLS-CSB Lady Blazers (0-0)
