Ateneo de Manila University overcame a late six-point deficit in the fourth set to defeat the University of the East, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 27-25, and close its UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball campaign on a high note, Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Trailing 16-22 in the fourth frame, the Blue Eagles capitalized on a string of Lady Warriors’ errors and key hits from Lyann de Guzman, AC Miner, and Alex Montoro complete the comeback.
Despite Ateneo’s rally, UE still reached set point first at 24-21. However, a crosscourt attack by De Guzman, followed by two consecutive UE errors, forced a deuce at 24-all.
Khy Cepada momentarily put the Lady Warriors back on top with a kill, but Montoro answered with a smart placement shot to tie the score again. Miner then hammered a quick spike to give Ateneo a 26-25 match point.
UE, unfortunately, shot itself in the foot once more, committing its 33rd error of the match when its second ball hit the antenna, sealing Ateneo’s victory after two hours and six minutes of play.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“We didn’t play so well technically, but our team never gave up. In the last set, UE had a good opportunity to win, but our team kept fighting,” said Ateneo head coach Sergio Veloso.
Rookie Yssa Chuatico from Bacolod Tay Tung High School led the Blue Eagles with a career-high 16 points built on 11 attacks, four blocks, and an ace. De Guzman and Miner also chipped in 13 points each.
Montoro, another Tay Tung product, made a strong impact with 11 points, including three aces, while Taks Fujimoto anchored the offense with 25 excellent sets.
For the second straight season, Ateneo finished with a 5-9 record in a campaign marred by injuries and tough losses. The win also snapped a four-game losing skid to end their season on a positive note.
“Siyempre, sobrang laki ng expectations ko this season, especially with players like Zel (Tsunashima), Sobe (Buena), and JLo (Delos Santos). If they were healthy, sobrang iba siguro yung team namin ngayon — very strong talaga. But things didn’t go as expected. I’m still happy because even though we were incomplete, we kept fighting,” said De Guzman, who also recorded 18 digs and 17 receptions.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Meanwhile, UE finished the season winless — mirroring the result of its men’s team. The last time both the men’s and women’s squads of a school ended the season without a win was in Season 77 (2015), also by the Red Warriors.
Van Bangayan led UE with 16 points, while Cepada and Kayce Balingit added 14 and 13 points, respectively, with Balingit also tallying 15 receptions and nine digs.
Angelica Reyes sparkled on defense with 24 excellent digs and 12 receptions, while Riza Nogales also reached double figures with 10 points.
