STRUGGLING for most parts of the season, defending champion Ateneo stole University of Santo Tomas’ thunder yesterday.
The Blue Eagles whipped the Golden Tigresses 25-20, 25-20, 25-20 to get back on track and fan their Final Four hopes in the 84th UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Faith Nisperos uncorked 18 points built on 15 attacks, to go with seven excellent receptions for Ateneo, while Vanie Gandler and Joan Narit chipped in 12 and 11 markers, respectively.
Jaja Maraguinot tossed 16 excellent sets, while Roma Doromal and Dani Ravena had eight excellent digs and seven excellent receptions, respectively.
Rookie middle blocker AC Miner also provided a big boost with eight points as the Eagles rebounded from a 18-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-18 loss to National University four days ago and emerged with their fifth win in 10 matches.
The defeat cut short UST’s four-game winning streak that included a 25-20, 18-25, 26-24, 25-23 victory over University of the Philippines last Saturday and pulled down the Golden Tigresses to 7-3, still good for solo second.
In the second match, Adamson University made short work of Far Eastern University 25-17, 25-17, 25-16 for its sixth win and sent the Lady Tamaraws packing.
Trisha Genesis led the Lady Falcons with 14 points, on top of nine excellent receptions while May Ann Nique added 12 markers and nine digs.
Rizza Cruz and Kate Santiago also had 11 points each as Adamson scored a big follow-up to its 25-16, 25-14, 25-9 win over University of the East last Saturday and improved to 6-4 for solo fourth.
FEU, coming off a 25-23, 25-13, 25-14 setback to La Salle also last Saturday, fell to 1-9.
Ateneo coach Oliver Almadro said his belles were determined to score the much-needed win regardless of how many sets it would take them.
“Sabi lang namin sa isa’t isa we have to take this win home, pero indeed, they want to take this win home. We’re not looking at it na kailangan straight sets, we just did our job,” Almadro said.
“We prepared for this, nag-manifest naman sa mga kilos ng bata. May mga lapses pero nakaka-recover right away. We don’t mind kung ilang sets, ‘di namin napansin na matatapos na pala in straight sets so we just grabbed it,” he added.
The Golden Tigresses forged an 18-all standoff in the third set, but Miner and Nisperos anchored a 5-0 blitz that made it 23-18.
UST prolific scorer Eya Laure scored on a kill, but Nisperos retaliated with two straight points that sealed the Eagles’ triumph.
Laure paced the Golden Tigresses with 14 points.
