Religion Nisperos (proper) leads the Blue Eagles in hammering kills previous the Tigresses’ protection. —UAAP MEDIA
For coach Oliver Almadro, the Ateneo Blue Eagles simply scored the sort of win they sought, over the sort of group they need to beat.
But greater than something, the Woman Eagles, in line with the outspoken mentor, delivered what’s wanted to ship their title-retention bid hovering within the UAAP Season 84 ladies’s volleyball.
“We instructed one another we have to take this win house,” stated Almadro after a formidable 25-20, 25-20, 25-20 victory over erstwhile streaking College of Santo Tomas (UST) at Mall of Asia Area on Tuesday.
“My gamers confirmed they wished to take this win house,” he stated, citing many events the place the Woman Eagles failed on the endgame. “The issue with us earlier than is that we all the time fail to take it (win) when the chance is offered to us. We had been ready for this win. This sort of win.”
It was Ateneo’s fifth victory in 10 matches however extra essential, it was over the second placer UST, which had been on a roll coming into the sport.
The Tigresses at the moment are at 7-3.
La Salle grabbed a chunk of the second place with UST after a 25-21, 25-23, 25-21 overcome College of the Philippines within the third sport.
The Woman Spikers trailed by six within the third because the Woman Maroons tried to remain afloat.
Respect
However Alleiah Malaluan and Thea Gagate went right down to enterprise for the Woman Spikers, who scored their second straight win in a 7-3 card. The Woman Maroons suffered their second defeat in a row for 4-6.
Ateneo, Almadro stated, needed to actually take the sport away from UST.
“We got here right here respecting the opponent. Respecting [UST’s Eya] Laure. So we couldn’t have lapses in protection. Each transfer must be studied as a result of UST is a really robust group.” added Almadro.
The normally gritty Tigresses had been out of their depth, counting on large breaks that didn’t occur. Within the third set, UST tied the rely at 18, calling to thoughts the previous three five-setters it had received.
However the Blue Eagles had been already too dug-in to budge. They restricted Laure, the league’s prime scorer, to simply 14 factors, eight under her common.
Ateneo additionally out-attacked UST, 46-38, as Religion Nisperos, Vanessa Gandler and Joan Narit all turned in double-digit performances and mixed for 41 factors.
“I feel we received this sport as a result of we labored as a group,” stated Narit. “For somebody who goes out and in of the court docket, I may actually see that belief we had. Like, despite the fact that somebody misses one thing, there will probably be all the time somebody who received their again or one thing.”
“I feel it was simply all about belief and actually preventing till the top,” she added.
Suffice to say it was a morale-boosting win for Ateneo, which is having a roller-coaster season after an enormous shakeup of its lineup.
“We are able to see that everyone is working, even the individuals on the bench,” stated rookie center blocker AC Miner.
Wake-up name
UST coach Kungfu Reyes, in the meantime, admitted that the Tigresses lacked their ordinary aggressiveness and vowed to handle the sudden dip of their efficiency.
“I hope this seems to be a wake-up name for us,” Reyes stated.
Within the second sport, Adamson scored a second straight win after drubbing Far Jap College (FEU), 25-17, 25-17, 25-16.
Trish Genesis led the Woman Falcons with 14 factors, whereas Could Ann Nuique added 12. Rizza Cruz and Kate Santiago every chipped in 11 for Adamson who improved to 6-4.
FEU fell to its seventh successive defeat and with a 1-9 document is already out of Last 4 rivalry.
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