‘One Big Fight’ for JLo and Zel.
That will be the rallying cry of team captain Lyann de Guzman as Ateneo de Manila University pushes forward despite early setbacks in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
Zel Tsunashima suffered a devastating injury last Sunday against Adamson, breaking her left shin (tibia and fibula) in a freak accident.
Just days earlier, JLo Delos Santos tore her left ACL during Ateneo’s final practice before their season opener.
Adding to the team’s woes, the Blue Eagles have stumbled to a 0-2 start. They fell in a reverse sweep to the Lady Falcons, before suffering a straight-sets loss to defending champions National University Lady Bulldogs on Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Despite the weight of these early challenges, De Guzman remains steadfast, urging her teammates to stay the course and keep their Final Four hopes alive — something Ateneo has not achieved since Season 84 in 2022.
“Emotionally, alam naman natin ‘yon na mahirap talaga. But sabi namin sa isa’t isa, magkapitan lang talaga kami. Wala ‘eh, aksidente talaga tapos kapit lang sa isa’t isa. Nakakasad, pero nandiyan yung teammates namin to cheer us up,” De Guzman told reporters.
“Sabi nga namin, ide-dedicate namin itong season sa kanilang dalawa. Lalo na kaming mga seniors—kila AC [Miner] at Taks [Fujimoto] — sobrang close kami kila JLo at Zel. Para sa kanila itong season na ito.”
Even with the absence of Tsunashima and Delos Santos, De Guzman believes Ateneo’s potential goes beyond its 0-2 record.
The Blue Eagles showed flashes of brilliance against NU, closing the gap from 16-11 to 23-22 in the first set before ultimately falling in straight sets.
Against Adamson, they raced to a commanding 2-0 set lead, only to lose momentum as the Lady Falcons rode Shaina Nitura’s 33-point explosion to complete the comeback.
Ateneo’s young talents, however, have provided reasons for optimism. Bacolod Tay Tung High School rookies Jihan Chuatico and Alexia Montoro have stepped up, making an immediate impact in the middle and on the wings.
With their fight and talent evident, De Guzman is calling for one key element: consistency.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Nung nag-five sets [against Adamson] tapos okay yung laro namin nung first set [versus NU], nakatulong sa amin ‘yon ng sobra lalo na sa mga rookies namin na ma-boost yung confidence nila — pati rin yung amin,” the 22-year-old outside spiker shared.
“For me, consistency lang talaga. Kakasabi lang ni coach kanina, kailangan namin sumunod sa nagiging strategy at system niya.”
