THE ATENEO-MOTOLITE Lady Eagles bowed to the Creamline Cool Smashers (CCS) in a straight-set loss, 20-25, 20-25, 15-25, in the second game of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference Finals on Wednesday, December 8 at the Batangas City Coliseum.
During the individual awards ceremony before the match, two Lady Eagles were called on to the podium for their outstanding performance in their respective positions. Maddie Madayag was named Best Blocker of the conference, with a total of 38 kill blocks in the elimination rounds, while Kat Tolentino’s 202 points in the preliminary rounds garnered her the Best Opposite Spiker Award.
Ateneo Head Coach Oliver Almadro started a familiar roster comprised of Bea de Leon, Madayag, Vanie Gandler, Ponggay Gaston, Tolentino, Deanna Wong, and Kim Gequillana as libero.
After Team Captain Bea de Leon drew first blood by winning a joust at the net, the Lady Eagles were able to maintain a comfortable 8-4 lead as they entered the first technical timeout (TTO) courtesy of back-to-back aces by Madayag. The veteran saw Ateneo through to the second TTO ahead, 16-12, with a running spike.
However, this lead was not enough to stop the veteran-filled side from taking the lead as the Cool Smashers unleashed a 3-10 run, forcing Coach Almadro to burn his last timeout with the score at 19-22. Ateneo was unable to contain the Jia Morado-Alyssa Valdez connection as Valdez scored the last point of the first set, 20-25.
Newly crowned Most Valuable Player Valdez scored the first point of the second set, starting a quick 3-0 lead in favor of the Cool Smashers. Tolentino was able to get the Lady Eagles on the board after sending a kill to an empty zone six. Ateneo trailed by 4 points, 4-8, going into the first TTO after Tolentino’s serve sailed long. The deficit only widened as former De La Salle University star Michelle Gumabao ended a long rally with a down-the-line kill, 9-16, giving Creamline a comfortable 6-point lead midway through the second set.
The Lady Eagles then woke up and went on a 6-0 run that was interrupted by an off-the-block kill from Gumabao, to leave the score at 15-17. Despite the late comeback attempt, the Cool Smashers went on to secure the second set, with a back quick spike from Soriano giving the Cool Smashers a 0-2 set advantage.
In the deciding set, Gaston started things off with an attack error to surrender the first point to Creamline before Morado sent her team into the first TTO with a three-point advantage, 5-8. Valdez continued to punish the floor defense of the Lady Eagles as she scored consecutive points to give Creamline a huge 10-point lead by the second TTO, 6-16. Ateneo continued to struggle for points but still executed some remarkable plays including Tolentino’s down-the-line kill at the 11-20 mark.
The Cool Smashers would hold on, however, as the Lady Eagles’ dream for the championship ended after Morado blocked Samonte, 15-25.
Set Scores (Ateneo-CCS): 20-25, 20-25, 15-25
Box Scores
Ateneo: Tolentino – 10, De Leon – 10, Madayag – 2, Wong – 1
CCS: Valdez – 13, Galanza – 1, Morado – 6, Sato – 2, Gumabao – 11
