THE ATENEO Lady Eagles suffered their first loss in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Collegiate Conference against the Adamson University (AdU) Lady Falcons in four sets, 24-14, 21-25, 15-25, 21-25 on Sunday, September 8, at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

Head Coach Oliver Almadro fielded Ponggay Gaston, Jules Samonte, Jaycel Delos Reyes, Vanie Gandler, Erika Raagas, and Roma Doromal in the starting lineup. Joan Narit saw some minutes in the loss, while super rookie and the Lady Eagles’ top scorer Faith Nisperos did not see any court action due to illness. 

Gandler’s sharp serve gave the Lady Eagles an early lead, 5-3, but miscommunication on the side of Adamson propelled the Blue and White to the first technical timeout (TTO). Going into the second TTO, Ateneo continued a dominant lead with a seven point advantage, 16-9. The Lady Eagles ended the first set with a kill off the double block from Raagas that brought the score to 25-14. 

Later in the second set, Adamson cut an early Ateneo lead down to just one point after Maraguinot failed to reach the second ball, 11-10. At 15-all, the Lady Eagles struggled to take the lead going into the second TTO after the Lady Falcons scored on a combination play, 15-16. Raagas was blocked at the net which ceded the second set to AdU, 21-25. 

In the third set, Maraguniot lost the joust at the net against Cruz, givingAdU a six-point advantage going into the first TTO, 2-8. Adamson’s lead ballooned shortly after a running spike from Cruz which brought the score to 3-10. The Lady Falcons continued with their superb play, culminating with Raagas’ spike that went long to give the third set win to Adamson, 15-25. 

Raagas scored Ateneo’s first kill point through a drop ball in the fourth set but Almonte’s cross court kill furthered the Lady Falcons’ lead into the first TTO, 5-8. Team Captain Gaston’s service ace sent Ateneo into the second TTO with a slim advantage, 16-14. But at the dying moments of the fourth set, Gaston got denied at the net, 21-23. Almonte ended the match with a sharp drop ball, 21-25. 

The Lady Eagles will look to redeem themselves as they go against the University of Perpetual Help on Sunday, September 15, at 12:00 PM at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan. 

SET SCORES:

Ateneo-AdU: 24-14, 21-25, 15-25, 21-25