THE ATENEO Women’s Volleyball Team (AWVT) title campaign comes to an abrupt end after bowing to the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses in three sets, 16-25, 21-25, 21-25. The match took place earlier today, October 21, at the San Andres Sports Complex in the City of Manila.
Following the team’s defeat, the Blue Eagles dropped their fourth consecutive match and now find themselves in a classification battle with the chance to end the tournament as fifth place overall.
Kicking off the action in the first set, Zey Pacia soared to deliver the first point of the match, 1-0. As both teams exchanged points, middle blocker Jihan Chuatico’s quick attack kept the Blue Eagles in front, 6-5. However, while Pacia continued to light up the scoreboard, 9-7, the Blue Eagles’ consecutive attacking faults prompted a deadlock, 10-all.
Unable to control their passing, the Blue and White conceded a pair of aces to Lady Tigress Xyza Gula, which capped a 0-4 run, 10-14. Another service ace by UST’s Julia Balingit further compounded the Blue Eagles’ struggles, 13-18.
Rob Silla then momentarily stopped Ateneo’s bleeding with a thunderous attack through the middle, cutting the deficit to 14-19. Ultimately, however, the Blue Eagles’ error-laden first set was too much to overcome, as Gula delivered another point from the service line to end the set, 16-25.
The opening stages of the second set saw Ateneo’s services continue to falter, creating an early 0-3 hole. Deploying opposite hitter Zel Tsunashima, the senior looked to provide a spark with a powerful cross-court attack, 2-3. With Chucel Njigha joining Tsunashima’s attacking flurry, Ateneo stayed within striking distance, 5-7.
Njigha’s onslaught in the frontline, coupled with Michaila Gulapa’s instant offense, paced the Blue Eagles, 9-10. Going back-and-forth midway through the second frame, a joust at the net won by Blue Eagle Gena Hora drew the teams level, 13-all. However, despite their much-improved play, the Blue Eagles’ miscues derailed their momentum, as multiple attacks sailed out of bounds, 15-18.
The Katipunan-based squad remained relentless, cutting their deficit to two after Njigha’s off-the-block hit, 20-22. However, the Blue and White’s rally fell short, as UST’s Angge Poyos scored on consecutive possessions to put Ateneo two sets behind, 21-25.
With their championship campaign on the line, Veteran Yssa Nisperos took charge early in the third set with an emphatic cross-court spike and down-the-line attack that was flagged for a check ball against UST, 2-1. Coupled with continuous errors from the Golden Tigresses, the Blue Eagles found themselves in front early on, 5-4. In response, the España-based outfit burst into action, going on a 3-0 mini run that placed them back in the driver’s seat, 5-7.
Now playing catch-up, Ateneo struggled to contain UST, who continued to pile on the pressure. Even with points from the likes of Chuatico, who managed to score a strong attack through the defense, 7-8, the Blue Eagles’ struggles with floor spacing persisted. This allowed the Golden Tigresses to mount two 3-0 mini runs led by Jurado that created a larger advantage, 8-12.
Not willing to relent, the Nisperos and Hermosura duo combined their efforts to respond with a 3-0 mini run of their own, trimming the deficit to two, 11-13. However, Ateneo’s momentum was quickly extinguished by UST after an array of attacks from the Gold and Black brought Ateneo into a deep hole, 11-15.
Entering the closing stages of the third set, the Blue Eagles conjured up one last effort to extend the game. Managing to find their rhythm, the Katipunan-based squad brought down the lead to as little as one following an ace from Chuatico, 17-18. They would keep this deficit until Tsunashima’s clutch point, 20-21.
However, the Blue Eagles could not take the lead, as the Golden Tigresses turned up their offensive firepower, leaving the Blue Eagles speechless with a 5-0 run that sealed the deal and Ateneo’s hopes for a title, 21-25.
Despite falling at the first hurdle, the Blue Eagles still have the opportunity to end their season on a high note as they now set their sights on winning their next matches to attain the highest possible finish of fifth place.
Set scores:
Ateneo-UST: 16-25, 21-25, 21-25
