Ateneo de Manila University was one interested party during Adamson University’s clash with De La Salle University Thursday afternoon.
After all, what will happen there will affect the Blue Eagles’ fate in the UAAP Season 84 women’s volleyball tournament.
And at past 2 pm, the Lady Falcons stunned the Lady Spikers in four sets, 25-23, 17-25, 25-16, 26-24, making the road to the fourth seed more complicated for Ateneo.
That could’ve caused a little rumble in the Blue Eagles dugout. But no.
It was as if nothing happened and the stakes did not go higher, according to head coach Oliver Almadro.
“Actually, we were watching pero wala, no reaction ‘yung mga players. Naka-focus kami sa UP game muna,” said the Ateneo tactician.
“‘Yun muna pinagusapan namin, one game at a time. If it’s for us, it’s for us.”
And focus on the Fighting Maroons, they did. The Blue Eagles took care of business with a 19-25, 25-11, 25-18, 25-19 victory later that day.
Now, Ateneo will shift its focus to Adamson, which will it face on Saturday in the playoff battle for the last ticket to the stepladder semifinals as both finished the eliminations at 8-6.
“Now natapos kami sa UP, now we will be preparing for Adamson.”
Fireworks should be expected come to the playoff on Saturday at 5 pm as the two squads split their head-to-head matchup in the elimination round.
The Lady Falcons took the first round in four sets, 23-25, 25-19, 25-15, 25-12, while the Blue Eagles bounced back in the second round in a thriller, 24-26, 25-21, 25-19, 23-25, 19-17.
With the road to making the Final Four and defending their crown longer and more difficult, Almadro just wished things were different that Thursday noon.
“Sayang talaga at natalo ang La Salle, sayang lang talaga.”
—
All UAAP games stream live on GigaPlay presented by Yamaha. Download it now on Android or IOS.
