Ateneo de Manila University sealed a dominating classification round campaign with a 26-24, 25-16, 21-25, 25-23 win over College of Saint Benilde for a fifth place finish in the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship Saturday night, Nov. 16, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.  

Lyann De Guzman displayed her scoring prowess with a game-high 20 points but Geezel Tsunashima played the hero’s role in the closing stretch of the fourth set after scoring the Blue Eagles’ last two points to bag the victory.

Ateneo replicated its best finish in the league's centerpiece tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea, Grab Philippines, and Summit Water.

The Blue Eagles, who swept University of the East in the first phase of the classification round, finished fifth in the inaugural edition two years ago.

De Guzman, who scored seven in the fourth frame, smashed 19 attack points and an ace while middle blocker AC Miner added 13 markers for Ateneo, which outgunned the reigning NCAA champions Lady Blazers in spikes, 64-48.

Tsunashima got all her nine points from kills including the match-clinching back-to-back hits.

“Sabi ko sa kanila ‘wag masyadong relax kasi nakikita ko na hindi ito ‘yung laro namin kapag nagti-training kami. Sabi ko lang ilaban lang nila, nandito kami magtutulungan para sa isa’t isa,” De Guzman said.

The Blue Eagles trailed the Lady Blazers, 18-20, in the fourth set before unleashing a 5-2 run to take a 23-22 advantage.

Saint Benilde's opposite hitter Clydel Catarig knotted the frame at 23 with a sharp attack. Tsunashima answered with a crosscourt kill that was initially called out but overturned following a successful challenge by Ateneo.

The Blue Eagles wing spiker then put on the finishing touch with an off the block kill.      

Catarig led Saint Benilde with 14 points she collected from 13 spikes and one kill while Zamantha Nolasco and Mary Grace Borromeo had 11 and 10 markers, respectively.

Catarig waxed-hot in the third frame scoring six points with Mycah Gon and Borromeo throwing in plenty of help to avoid getting swept by Ateneo.

The Lady Blazers looked poised to force a fifth set only to lose steam at crunch time.  

Meanwhile, UE swept University of the Philippines, 25-20, 25-22, 26-24, for a seventh place finish in the competition which has Smart Sports, PLDT Fibr, Mikasa, Asics, Rebel Sports, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and SM Tickets as technical partners

The lethal trio of Jelai Gajero, Casiey Dongallo and KC Cepada led the way in the Lady Warriors’ consolation victory.

Gajero finished with 17 points highlighted by 11 attacks including back-to-back kills to put the game away in the extended third set. Dongallo added 16 markers with 15 coming off spikes while Cepada scattered 14 points from 10 hits and four service winners.

Nina Ytang had nine points while Kassandra Doering and Kyrzten Cabasac had eight markers each in a lost cause for the Fighting Maroons, who finished their campaign in eighth place.

Action resumes on November 22 with three-peat-seeking National University and unbeaten De La Salle University clashing in Game 1 of the best-of-three finals.

SSL games are aired live and on-demand via Puso Pilipinas, SMART Livestream, Solar Sports Channel 70 on Sky Cable and Channel 59 on Cable Link.