It is true what Ateneo coach Oliver Almadro said: Marck Espejo and Ish Polvorosa are God’s gift to Ateneo volleyball
Since suiting up for the Loyola-based program, the pair have not only collected individual awards, but have also led Ateneo to the Finals for four straight years.
And earlier today, the Blue Eagles edged out rivals National University Bulldogs for their third straight title in another five-set thriller, 18-25, 25-16, 20-25, 25-18, 15-13 at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
The Bulldogs thoroughly dominated the first set, using their supreme height advantage at the wings to stifle the Ateneo offense. NU gathered six block kills in the set alone and took the early advantage.
NU, however, fell prey to questionable calls in the second frame. After keeping pace for much of the set, Ateneo leapt to a decisive 23-16 lead following consecutive NU miscues. The Bulldogs surrendered 12 errors in the set alone and dragged the match to a tie.
The third frame hung in the balance until NU mustered an emphatic response. Holding a slim 19-18 advantage, NU gutted out six of the next eight points and grabbed a 2-1 sets lead.
As in Game One, the defending champs had no plans on easily relinquishing their first match of the season. The Blue Eagles skewered the NU reception with heavy serves. A prolonged serving stint from four-time MVP Marck Espejo extended the Ateneo lead to 20-11. Espejo also took charge offensively late in the frame to force a decider.
It seemed that the Bulldogs were on track to quickly take the fifth set. Down 3-7, Ateneo clawed back thanks to solid serving which gave them a 10-9 lead. Ateneo then powered home a 13-10 advantage and staved off another late NU run to clinch the title.
“From the beginning hindi namin ine-expect makaka-sweep kami. God is good talaga. This achievement is from him talaga. He helped us avoid every trap. The players din naman showed what hard work gets us,” said Almadro.
Four-time MVP Marck Espejo tallied a game-high 27 points, while Finals MVP Tony Koyfman managed 11 markers. Four-time Best Setter Ish Polvorosa spread the offense prolifically with 62 excellent sets.
The boys from Loyola have brought home their third consecutive title. They have extended their Final Four win streak to eight. Overall, Ateneo have won 30 straight UAAP matches. Ateneo also now hold a 10-game winning streak over NU.
Ateneo bid farewell to their starting middle blockers Rex Intal and Josh Villanueva, who have both exhausted their UAAP playing eligibility.
Fauzi Ismail led NU with 24 points, while Bryan Bagunas added 20 markers.
For two straight years, NU could not win a set in the Finals against Ateneo. This marks their closest encounter since the Bulldogs last won the title in Season 76.
The Scores
ADMU (3) – Espejo 27, Koyfman 11, Intal 10, Villanueva 10, Baysa 7, Polvorosa 5, Medalla 1, Rivera 0, Sumanguid (L)
NU (2) – Ismail 24, Bagunas 10, Malabunga 10, Natividad 6, Saura 5, Dayandante 1, Ancheta 0, Gampong 0, Marcos (L)
