In a highly-contested match, every person fielded in can be key to victory or defeat. Despite playing most of the game on the back foot, the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons ultimately scored a victory against the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Blue Booters, 2-0.
Playing without top-scorer Kali Navea-Huff due to knee injury, her sister Marie was fielded in on her stead at the top. It paid dividends at the start of the match, as the Maroons threatened to breach the Ateneo defense. However, as the game progressed, the Diliman-based squad played haphazardly and settled for long balls instead of short passes.
The Blue and White capitalized on this, as they moved the ball forward after stealing several passes from their opponents. The Atenean midfield, anchored by senior Cam Rodriguez, attempted to get into UP’s defensive third. Several chances, however, were left wanting, as multiple runs by Martie Bautista and Nona Amoncio could not end with a goal.
Despite that, the first clear chance of the match went the Maroons’ way. At the 26th minute, Team Captain Cristina delos Reyes sent a lovely through ball to Mary Obra, but the shot was dealt with easily by Ateneo keeper Kitkat Montelibano. The Blue side was not devoid of a chance as just four minutes after UP’s opportunity, Pauline Naguiat had the goal at her mercy, only for UP defender Molly Manalansan to make a timely goal line clearance to keep the scoreboard blank. The Lady Blue Booters then took the momentum and repeatedly pressured the opposing defense. Nevertheless, UP managed to stifle their runs, anchored by the heads-up tending of goalie AJ Javier, and knotted the score at 0-0 at the half.
At the start of the second period, Ateneo picked up where they left off in the previous half. After several mistimed crosses, Aina Martin tried to catch Javier off guard, but the keeper parried it out. 62 minutes in, Rodriguez took an ensuing free kick but the ball did not find the mark.
With the game going nowhere for the Maroons, at the 67th minute, UP Head Coach Anto Gonzales decided to sub in Martha Dagdag for Marie Navea-Huff for some movement in attack. It paid off just three minutes after, as she sent a ball to Obra, which Ateneo cleared for a corner. The substitute delivered the well-timed corner kick into the box, where an unmarked Obra headed past Montelibano for the go-ahead goal. Eventually, Gonzales sent in sophomore Sabrina Nierras for fresh legs in attack.
The goal awakened the Lady Maroons, as they finally had control of the game. Several incursions into the box were rewarded at the closing minute of the match, Dagdag once again sent a ball into the penalty area; Nierras found herself open and masterfully slotted the ball to the top-left corner, out of reach of Montelibano’s outstretched arms. That proved to be the final nail on the coffin, as the Lady Maroons sealed their second straight win in the same number of starts.
Head Coach Gonzales was relieved that his players had pulled off the win despite a lackluster performance. “We were outworked, outhustled, and outplayed by Ateneo,” he admitted. Gonzales also shared that he had reprimanded the girls during the halftime break, and was thankful that the team responded positively.
The Lady Maroons takes on the Lady Tamaraws on March 6, Sunday. Meanwhile the Lady Eagles will face the same team on March 12, Saturday.
