GAMES WEDNESDAY
(SM Mall of Asia Arena)
9 a.m. – La Salle vs. UST (M)
11 a.m. – Adamson vs. UE (M)
1 p.m. – Adamson vs. UE (W)
5 p.m. – La Salle vs. UST (W)
DESPITE its injury-depleted roster, Ateneo broke into the win column yesterday at the expense of the University of the Philippines, scoring a 25-18, 25-22, 25-18 win in the 87th UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Fighting Maroons went into the game riding high on a two-game winning streak, favored to break a tie for the lead with defending champion National University, but the Blue Eagles flipped the script, thanks largely to open spiker Sobe Buena, to book their first win in three games.
Benched in her first two games with the team, Buena starred for Ateneo with 17 points, 15 off 27 attacks; a block and a service ace, and four excellent to turn the “Battle of Katipunan” into a rout while skipper Lyann De Guzman fired 14 markers, six digs and four excellent receptions.
Also delivering for the blue-and-white crew were opposite hitter AC Miner with 12 markers, 10 off attacks and four kill blocks, whil3 setter Taks Fujimoto tossed 14 excellent sets.
Ateneo improved to 1-2 while UP slipped to 2-1.
“First, congrats to the team. When everybody plays good the team plays good. And I give my congrats to Taks (Fujimoto) because when all the spikers play good [that’s] because the setter plays good. Especially in this match, our service worked like [what] we’ve planned,” said Ateneo mentor Sergio Veloso, who charges had six service aces in the match.
“Our service is our first attack and this [service] pressure in the whole set is so important. When UP played in front of us in the second set, the team continued to play, continued stick to the plan, followed the system,” he added.
After its come-from-behind win in the second set, the Blue Eagles soared early in the final salvo and took a 16-8 lead after a kill block from Miner then surged ahead at 18-9 after a through-the-block hit from Buena.
The Fighting Maroons trimmed the lead to 21-17 but Ateneo reached match point at 24-17 and Buena wrapped up the match with a cross-court hit.
Ateneo is playing without Zel Tsunashima and Jennifer Delos Santos who have suffered season-ending injuries; a broken left tibia and fibula and a left ACL tear, respectively.
Open spiker Irah Jaboneta was the lone bright spot for the Fighting Maroons with a double-double performance of 11 markers and 10 excellent receptions.
Next Sunday, Ateneo seeks to continue its winning momentum when it tangles up against Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws while UP hopes to bounce back against the DLSU Lady Spikers.
