Ateneo rose to the occasion and handed University of Santo Tomas its first sweep loss with a 25-20, 25-20, 25-20 win in the UAAP Season 84 women's volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City Tuesday, May 31.
Faith Nisperos led all scorers with 18 points built on 15 spikes and two service aces while Vanie Gandler and Joan Narit also provided firepower with 12 and 11 markers, respectively, as the Blue Eagles snapped the Golden Tigresses' four-game win streak and improved to a 5-5 record.
"Sabi lang namin sa isa't isa, we have to take this win home. So indeed they want to take this win home," said Ateneo head coach Oliver Almadro. "We're not looking at it na kailangan straight sets e. We're just doing our job, we prepared for this and then nag-manifest naman sa kilos ng mga bata.
"Nagkakaroon ng lapses but nakaka-recover. So we don't mind kung ilang sets. 'Di namin napansin na matatapos na pala in straight saets so we just grabbed it," added the three-time UAAP champion.
The Tigresses had their best chance in the third set after reaching an 18-all deadlock but Nisperos and AC Miner, who also added eight points for Ateneo, connived to spark a 5-0 run en route to a comfortable 23-18 cushion.
Eya Laure, who was limited to 14 points after scoring more than 20 markers on multiple occasions, pumped life for UST with a kill but Nisperos easily responded with back-to-back conversions for the win.
Laure, the former Rookie of the Year, was the lone bright spot for the Tigresses as no other members scored in double-digits. UST remained at solo second with a 7-3 record as De La Salle (6-3) takes on University of the Philippines (4-5) at press time.
In the second game, Adamson eliminated Far Eastern University with a 25-17, 25-17, 25-16 victory en route to fourth place with a 6-4 record.
Trisha Genesis spearheaded the Lady Falcons' balanced attack with 14 points powered by 13 kills, May Ann Nuique hammered down 12 markers on top of three blocks, while Rizza Cruz and Kate Santiago chipped in 11 points apiece.
Adamson led by as many as 11 points, 18-7, to pull away for good and never look back at that point.
The gap was too much to overcome despite FEU cutting the deficit down to seven as Genesis and Cruz secured the set and assured the win for the Lady Falcons.
Chen Tagaod paced the already ran Lady Tamaraws, who fell to a 1-9 slate, with 13 spikes and one block for 14 points.