Last season’s runners-up, the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles went above .500 for the first time in the UAAP Season 80 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, overcoming their own errors and the Adamson University Lady Falcons in five sets, 25-18, 14-25, 25-18, 15-25, 15-10, at the FilOil Flying V Centre.
Both squads took turns struggling on receive, with Ateneo rallying back from early deficits in the first and third sets, while Adamson dominated the second and fourth frames from wire-to-wire.
The fifth frame came down to a heavy exchange, with the Lady Eagles winning out early and taking a 9-7 lead following a flurry of Jho Maraguinot hits. Jules Samonte then kept Ateneo ahead, 12-9, with consecutive off-the-block smashes. Fil-Canadian winger Kat Tolentino then produced a kill then a block to put the Lady Eagles at set point, setting up Maddie Madayag’s game-winning block on Chiara Permentilla.
The Lady Eagles took home their first five-set win after dropping their first two losses in extended fashion, and their 11th straight victory against Adamson in the UAAP, dating back to the Season 75 Final Four.
“Siguro sobrang we just wanted to win the fourth set. Malaking bagay din ‘yung nilaro noong mga bata sa team,” said Madayag, who tallied 14 points off seven attacks, three blocks, and four aces.
Maraguinot tallied 15 points, while Samonte provided 14. The Lady Eagles dominated the net with 15 blocks, while the Lady Falcons could only counter with five.
Eli Soyud topped the Lady Falcons with 19 points. Team captain Jema Galanza managed to put up just 12 markers.
The Lady Eagles (3-2) take on struggling Katipunan neighbors University of the Philippines Lady Maroons (1-3) on Sunday at the FilOil Flying V Centre. The Lady Falcons (2-3) try to snap their two-game skid on Saturday against defending champions De La Salle University Lady Spikers (3-1).
The Scores
ADMU (3) – Maraguinot 15, Madayag 14, Samonte 14, Tolentino 10, De Leon 8, Wong 6, Gaston 3, Elazar 0, Lo (L), Ravena (L)
AdU (2) – Soyud 19, Galanza 12, Dacoron 9, Permentilla 9, Paat 8, Emnas 4, Perez 3, Flora 0, Roque 0, Ponce (L)
