THE ATENEO Blue Eagles dropped their third consecutive bout at the hands of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses in straight sets, 24-26, 18-25, 21-25. The match was held earlier today, February 25, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Leading the charge for the Blue Eagles was rookie standout Dona De Leon who fronted 10 points. Additionally, stalwarts Hermosura and Pacia clocked in eight markers respectively.
In the opening stages of the matchup, the Blue Eagles found themselves on the backfoot, conceding to an early run after a barrage of attacks from UST’s Angge Poyos, 3-7. The deficit only grew further for Ateneo in the following minutes, as the Golden Tigresses went on a 3-0 run, forcing a timeout for the Blue and White, 7-12.
Looking to regain momentum, Jlo Delos Santos and De Leon picked up where they left off from their last game, leading a 4-1 run to narrow UST’s advantage, 15-17. Refusing to give up any advantage, both squads began to trade points in a high-scoring back-and-forth effort, 19-22.
Coming off the bench for the Blue Eagles, veteran Yssa Nisperos stepped up to the plate in the clutch, providing the squad with four attack points in a 5-1 blitz to tie the game, 24-24. However, Ateneo was unable to maintain the deadlock for long, as Nisperos’ final shot of the set went wide, 24-26.
Contrary to the first set, the Blue Eagles came out with renewed urgency, racing to a 4-0 opening run capped by an emphatic block point from De Leon that forced UST to call for time. Even after the break, the Katipunan-based squad maintained control via a Hermosura cross-court attack to keep the Blue and White comfortably ahead at the first technical timeout, 8-3.
Momentum then began to slip from Ateneo’s grasp as they began trading points with UST. Ultimately, the Blue Eagles’ lead was trimmed down to just two as communication lapses plagued their offensive rhythm, 12-10. Eventually, a block point allowed Xyza Gula to swing the advantage to UST, 12-13. Despite the shift, Ateneo stayed within striking distance, even with conversions from the likes of Poyos that pushed the Blue and White into a 14-16 deficit.
Determined to respond, Ateneo attempted to recalibrate its spacing and defensive timing. However, unforced errors along the block line proved costly, allowing the Growling Tigresses to distance themselves from the Blue Eagles, 16-20. Though a service miscue from UST briefly offered hope, 17-22, Ateneo was unable to fully recover its early-set sharpness, ultimately conceding the frame with an 18-25 scoreline.
With the momentum still with the Golden Tigresses, the Blue Eagles conceded an early lead after a pair of errors and a block point from UST’s Regina Jurado, 0-3. Ateneo quickly answered back; however, going on a 5-0 run led by Pacia and De Leon to regain the lead, 7-5.
The Blue and White’s defense was then tested as Poyos and Jurada continued to find gaps to attack, forcing a timeout for the Blue Eagles, 7-8. Following the huddle, UST continued to find the chink in Ateneo’s armor, as Poyos took over the match on both ends, leading a five-point unanswered run, 8-13.
Despite the deficit, Ateneo answered back with their own 4-1 run, to keep the game within reach, 16-19. Although the game was within striking distance, three errors, including a final service error by Chuatico, proved to be the final nail in the coffin as Ateneo dropped the third and final set to close out the matchup, 21-25.
The Blue Eagles’ search for their first win continues as they take on the De La Salle University Lady Spikers on Sunday, March 1, at 1:00 PM in the same venue.
Box scores:
Ateneo (0): De Leon – 10, Hermosura – 8, Pacia – 8, Chuatico – 5, Delos Santos – 4, Nisperos – 4, Tsunashima – 3, Cortez – 1
UST (3): Poyos – 21, Jurado – 12, Altea – 8, Gula – 7, Bron – 4, Perdido – 4, Carballo – 3, Balingit – 1
Quarter/Set scores:
Ateneo – UST : 24-26, 18-25, 21-25
Current Standings (W-L):
- NU Lady Bulldogs (3-0)
- UP Fighting Maroons (2-0)
- De La Salle Lady Spikers (2-0)
- Adamson Lady Falcons (2-1)
- UST Golden Tigresses (1-2)
- FEU Lady Tamaraws (1-2)
- UE Lady Red Warriors (0-3)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (0-3)
