When Ateneo toppled La Salle for the first seed in the last day of the elimination round, there was plenty of jubilation. The Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles, lacking star hitter Jhoana Maraguinot, overcame the odds against a hungry De La Salle University Lady Spikers side.
The Lady Eagles have been beating the odds the entire season. After losing superstar Alyssa Valdez, Ateneo were pegged to struggle in a transition phase. Instead of finding their next individual star, the Lady Eagles banded together and displayed a devastating balanced offense.
But getting the first seed barely feels like an advantage, especially when the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws await as the most dangerous fourth seed in recent history.
With a nearly intact lineup, the Lady Tamaraws were bound to dominate Season 79 but stumbled due to their own inconsistencies. But, on the back of a miraculous three-game winning streak, the Lady Tamaraws barged into the Final Four in their very last match.
Although Ateneo took both elimination round meetings over FEU, both encounters dragged into a fifth set that either could have won.
Last season, FEU nearly #ShaqTheWorld after forcing a twice-to-beat La Salle into a do-or-die match for a Finals berth. The Lady Tamaraws are looking to take another leap and make the Finals again since last appearing in Season 70.
Can the Lady Eagles stamp their sixth straight Finals ticket? Or can the Lady Tamaraws finally take down the Ladies from Loyola? We take a look at the match-up.
Optimal rotations
Both Ateneo-FEU games came down to getting into the optimal rotation. For the Lady Eagles, there isn’t one rotation that can be considered their strongest. But any time they have three spikers or any time Michelle Morente is in front, setter Jia Morado weaves the most magic. Morente going to the back also doesn’t dampen Ateneo’s momentum as the returning opposite hitter serves, defends, and receives at a high level.
For FEU, on the other hand, there is a considerable drop-off when either Remy Palma or Bernadeth Pons are in the back. Having Palma, the team’s best middle blocker and vocal leader, in the back hurts most, as there is a considerable difference in height and offensive capabilities between her and sophomore Jeanette Villareal.
FEU coach Shaq Delos Santos has remedied this by moving sharp-hitting opposite Toni Basas to the open hitter position and having Heather Guino-O play opposite. With Pons and Basas both playing open, FEU always has a strong offensive threat in front.
Still, the Lady Tamaraws can’t afford to lose steam whenever Palma isn’t in front. That’s how they lost both matches to Ateneo.
The trash-talking Kapampangan Remy Palma has been a treat to watch as she played for her life in FEU’s last matches. FEU needs to maximize their graduating captain’s presence upfront if they hope to make the Finals.
Clutch decision making
Both teams are tremendous on the transition, able to keep points alive, and counter with a solid attack.
For Ateneo, it’s easy to see why they thrive in tight situations: they have Jia Morado. If there is any star that has risen the most in the post-Valdez renaissance, it has to be Morado.
Although the Lady Eagles do not rank anywhere near the top of the league in reception and digging, they are still far and away the best spiking team in the league. This is mostly because of Morado’s stubbornness: no matter how ugly the first touch is, Morado will insist on getting the ball to their best option. Only one other setter in the league displays the same calmness and brilliance in difficult situations like Morado, and she’s not playing for FEU.
The biggest story coming into Season 79 for FEU was finding Gyzelle Sy’s replacement as the starting setter. That transition has been like throwing pasta at the wall and seeing which of their setters stick. Earlier in the season, it was Gel Cayuna, then Kyle Negrito took over heading into the Final Four.
While it will be hard to see either of them match Morado’s setting, FEU do not need that type of production. Especially in the most important stages of the match, the Lady Tamaraws can get by with their best hitters taking the shots. It’s up to their setters to make those reads and limit the errors that diminish their momentum.
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Overall, the Lady Eagles look like favorites in this match-up. They have a deeper lineup and a twice-to-beat advantage.
But the Lady Tamaraws have built themselves into a scary upset machine with tools and quirks that have given Ateneo problems this season. If FEU can catch a few more breaks, they can finally get over Ateneo after trying for so many seasons.
