Ateneo extends winning streak to three

c/o UAAP Media Team

Games Sunday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum

9 a.m. - UE vs UP (Men)
11 a.m. - NU vs FEU (Men)
1 p.m. - UE vs UP (Women)
3 p.m. - NU vs FEU (Women)

Learning the lessons from its first round encounter, Ateneo de Manila University finished off Adamson University in straight sets this time, 25-23, 25-14, 25-23, to secure its third straight win in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.

The Blue Eagles faced the Lady Falcons in their season opener and were a recipient of a stinging 25-21, 25-20, 12-25, 15-25, 12-15 reverse sweep with Shaina Nitura breaking the then UAAP rookie scoring record with 33 points.

Ateneo took the lessons of that heartbreaker and made sure not to repeat its mistakes this second round.

“I think our best skill today was our serves. Our serves did a lot of damage to the opponent. This is important, and in the hard moments, my team continued to focus,s and it’s the best to do for this moment,” said Blue Eagles head coach Sergio Veloso as his squad dominated the aces department, 12-5.

Ateneo now holds a 4-5 record for joint-fifth and sixth spots with University of the Philippines.

The sweep became possible when Ateneo turned a 16-19 deficit to a 25-23 win in the first set, thanks to the tandem of Jihan Chuatico and AC Miner.

That momentum cascaded in the second frame, where the Blue Eagles just dominated the Lady Falcons, 25-14.

But Adamson did not go easily in the third with Ateneo at match point, 24-21, as Nitura delivered back-to-back hits to inch within a point, but the sensational rookie in the next play grazed the net on a block attempt, giving the Blue Eagles the victory in one hour and 39 minutes.

“For this game everyone contributed, like everyone put the effort and they are focused inside the court. We just fight kahit anong mangyari, just push through every point,” said setter Taks Fujimoto, who tossed 17 excellent sets to go with five points on three attacks and two aces.

Miner led the balanced offense of Ateneo with 13 points, while Lyann De Guzman turned in another all-around performance with 12 points, 13 digs, and 13 receptions.

Zey Pacia also delivered 10 points and eight digs in the win that saw the Blue Eagles make more spikes, 40-33, and commit fewer errors, 17-21.

Ateneo eyes another win on Wednesday when it clashes with rival De La Salle University at the same Cubao venue, hoping to get back one of the teams it lost in the first round. The Lady Spikers have won their last 15 duels with the Blue Eagles.

Nitura still unleashed 21 points, 11 receptions, and seven digs in the loss, but she had no help.

Frances Mordi had nine points, while the rest of Adamson scored just four points or less.

The Lady Falcons, who dropped to solo seventh at 3-6, will look to rebound on Wednesday as well against the UST Golden Tigresses.