BOLSTERING their preparations ahead of the 87th UAAP women’s volleyball tournament, the Ateneo Blue Eagles are hustling and grinding in their training camp abroad as they aim for glory in the much-anticipated tourney.
The Sergio Veloso-mentored Blue Eagles left for Japan over the weekend for the training camp that is expected to serve them in good stead in the UAAP battles set to start next month.
The Katipunan-based crew, led by holdovers Lyann De Guzman, AC Miner, Zel Tsunashima and Taks Fujimoto this season, had an opportunity to display their talent in a scrimmage with Kobe Shinwa University, a Kobe-based school.
Last season, the Blue Eagles missed the Final Four, finishing fifth in the eliminations with five wins and nine losses.
Only Roma Mae Doromal, who now plays professional volleyball with Capital1 Solar Spikers, has left Ateneo.
The blue-and-white squad also participated in the Shakey’s Super League Pre-Season Championships where they finished fifth.
The Ateneo men’s volleyball team is also in Japan for the training camp and had a friendly duel with Kobe Shinwa University.
Just like their women’s counterparts last UAAP season, the Blue Eagles fell short of a Final Four slot, finishing fifth in the eliminations with a 7-7 win-loss slate.
In the V-League Collegiate Challenge during the offseason, Ateneo finished seventh out of eight teams with a win and six losses card.
Spearheading Ateneo in the coming UAAP season are outside hitter Jian Salarzon, libero Lance De Castro, middle blocker Jettlee Gopio, and opposite hitter Kennedy Batas.
