THE ATENEO Blue Eagles boxed out the Adamson University (AdU) Lady Falcons off their solo fourth spot in a five-set thriller, 24-26, 25-21, 25-19, 23-25, 19-17, yesterday at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City.
With this victory, the Blue Eagles obtained a 7-5 record in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 84 Women’s Volleyball Tournament standings.
The first set between the Blue Eagles and the Lady Falcons was an intense game opener since both teams were vying for a spot in the Final Four. At the beginning of the set, Ateneo and AdU displayed a more composed demeanor, focusing more on their offensive strategies. The Blue and White attempted to catch up to the Lady Falcons through well-executed down-the-line kills, but Adamson firmly secured the first set as Trisha Genesis returned to the frontcourt, 24-26.
Ateneo was more aggressive with their attacks in the second set, resulting in a brilliant variation of spiking from all around the court. Setter Jaja Maraguinot was not only directing plays to the outside hitters, but she was also providing excellent quick sets to Alexis Miner in response to Lucille Almonte’s mini-run for AdU at 15-15. Keeping their composure, Ateneo snatched the second set from Adamson, as the Lady Falcons committed seven attack errors en route to Ateneo taking the set, 25-21.
In the third set, the offensive trifecta of Faith Nisperos, Vanie Gandler, and Erika Raagas dominated and scored all the attack points for the Katipunan-based squad. They had a strong start to the set, with attacks from the wings that Adamson’s libero Princess Labang could not handle, giving Ateneo a dominant 12-3 lead. The Blue Eagles cruised past their opponents after an offensive showcase by their board leaders, ending the set at 25-19.
Determined to shift the momentum in their favor, the Lady Falcons started the fourth set strong with Aliah Marce, Honey Toring, and Rizza Cruz finding the loopholes in Ateneo’s defense to mount an early 8-2 run. The Blue Eagles, on the other hand, were unfazed by their opponents’ offense, matching them with their own scoring rally, 12-13. The Lady Falcons then took advantage of Ateneo’s own errors and sealed the fourth set with a service ace, 23-25.
Going into the fifth set, the Blue Eagles put out all stops to secure their victory against the Lady Falcons. Ateneo’s Maraguinot was crucial to their cause, as she scored off a feint attack to put the Blue Eagles in the lead, 6-3. Nisperos continued to serve as Ateneo’s go-to in their offensive plays, as the Queen Eagle was effective from all sides of the court.
Nisperos bombarded the Lady Falcons with a showstopping 31 points, with 26 of those coming from spikes. Gandler and Raagas supported their partner winger, tallying 15 and 14 points respectively. As for their opponents, AdU’s Trisha Genesis fought back with 16 points of her own.
In an attempt to keep their chance to defend the championship crown alive, the Blue Eagles will face De La Salle University (9-3) next on Tuesday, June 7, 4:00 PM, at the MOA Arena.
Set Score:
Ateneo-AdU: 24-26, 25-21, 25-19, 23-25, 19-17
Box Scores:
Ateneo: Nisperos – 31, Gandler – 15, Raagas – 14, Miner – 6, Narit – 5, Maraguinot – 2, Cruz – 1
AdU: Genesis – 16, Marce – 15, Cruz – 12, Toring – 12, Almonte – 10, Romero – 1, Nuique – 1, Lalongisip – 1
