THE ATENEO Men’s Volleyball Team failed to sustain momentum after enduring a four-set defeat against the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors. The Blue Eagles’ penultimate University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 elimination round match was held earlier today, April 18, at the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion in the City of Manila.
This loss puts Ateneo out of contention for the third seed in the semifinals, keeping them in fourth place with a 7-6 record. Having already secured their Final Four berth prior to the match, the Blue Eagles will face either the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws or the National University Bulldogs, depending on the results of the remaining matches.
Team Captain Jian Salarzon led the Blue Eagles with 20 points off 18 attacks and two blocks. On the other hand, RG Piojo and Raquim Aceron spearheaded the Red Warriors’ offense with 23 points each.
Capitalizing on his first starting six opportunity, rookie Preece Atendido delivered Ateneo’s first point on an off-the-block hit, 1-1. Both sides relied on their frontline blocking to disrupt each team’s offense in the early goings of the set, leaving Ateneo trailing 5-7 in the early stages. Having no response to the opposition, Aceron began to break down the Blue Eagles’ defense to lead UE on a 5-0 run, 12-5.
Despite Brian Castro responding with a quick attack, 7-12, the Blue and White remained at a deficit due to their errors, 10-15. Additionally, the Blue Eagles were also blanked by Aceron’s service aces, 10-17.
Hoping to shift the tide, Salarzon and Castro continued to steer the Blue and White’s offense, 14-20. In an immediate response, Piojo launched a backrow attack to keep UE stable, 14-21. Unable to derail the Red Warriors’ momentum, Okeke’s final attack of the set sailed outside to drop the first set, 16-25.
The second frame commenced with an aggressive game plan as Aimar Okeke permeated the open zone six of UE, 2-0. Red Warrior Piojo answered with a service ace and a through-the-block hit, 2-2. With both squads trading points at a rapid pace, an off-the-block by Okeke forced the set into its sixth deadlock, 7-7.
The Blue Eagles struggled with poor reception in the next sequences, but Rodge Alejos managed to reject Aceron, 10-9. As Jeric Sendon served to Piojo’s faulty passing, an easy chanceball granted Salarzon’s access towards the red blockade, 15-11. Despite this lead, Ateneo had no answer against Piojo’s sharp cross-court attacks, 18-15.
Before UE could rebuild their momentum, Amil Pacinio charged heavier hits to break the Red Warriors’ wall, 22-17. Inching closer to 25, Okeke delivered the diagonal attack, which concluded the second frame, 25-22.
Ateneo got off to another sluggish start to the third set following their flaws from the service line, 2-4. Regaining their rhythm, Sendon’s regalo marked a 5-0 blitz for Ateneo, 7-5. From there, both teams traded kills and errors en route to a 9-all deadlock.
Similar to the first set, the Recto-based unit gained the upper hand courtesy of their precise blocks, 11-14. While Salarzon’s down-the-line spikes remained useful, 14-17, Ateneo’s inability to contain UE’s varied firepower placed them in a deeper hole, 15-21. Remaining hounded by their inconsistent floor defense and services, 18-23, Ateneo eventually fell victim to consecutive kills from Aceron, 18-25.
Eager to bring this match into a decider, Alejos executed a powertip to UE’s campfire, 2-2. The Blue Eagles faced difficulty containing the offensive drive of Xjhann Camaymayan, enduring the Red Warrior’s quick hits, 4-6. Pausing UE’s mini run, Miguel Yu stepped up to penetrate the triple block successfully, 6-7.
A trade of attacks and errors from both squads ensued before the double-digit mark, as Pacinio trimmed the deficit with a cross-court bomb, 10-10. The Katipunan-based squad committed blunders in reception, which boosted UE’s wingers, Isaiah Roca and Aceron to power through Ateneo’s floor, 11-15. In response, Yu checked the blockers of the Recto-based squad to keep the Blue Eagles within touching distance, 13-16.
Stabilizing their floor coverage, Ateneo was deceived by Piojo’s strategic checkball shots, 15-20. The Blue Eagles revived their synergy after the Red Warriors’ service error, 18-22. Approaching the fourth canto’s pinnacle, Enzo Gutierrez rejected Aceron’s access, 22-24. Despite the 3-point hustle from the Katipunan-based squad, Ateneo ultimately dropped the match after Aceron’s off-the-block finisher, 22-25.
In a mission to close out the eliminations round on a high note, the Blue Eagles strive to upset the top-seeded Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws on Wednesday, April 22, at 9:00 AM in the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Box scores:
Ateneo (1): Salarzon – 20, Pacinio – 14, Okeke – 5, Alejos – 5, Atendido – 4, Yu – 4, Castro – 3, Batas – 2, Gutierrez – 1, Sendon – 1
UE (3): Piojo – 21, Aceron – 18, Roca – 7, Camaymayan – 6, Perit – 2, Rada – 1
Set scores:
Ateneo-UE: 16-25, 25-22, 18-25, 22-25
Current Standings (W-L):
- FEU Tamaraws (11-1)**
- NU Bulldogs (10-2)*
- UST Golden Spikers (8-4)*
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (7-6)*
- DLSU Green Spikers (5-8) – e
- UE Red Warriors (4-10) – e
- UP Fighting Maroons (3-10) – e
- AdU Soaring Falcons (3-10) – e
**- clinched twice-to-beat advantage in Final Four
*- clinched Final Four berth
e – eliminated from Final Four contention
