Ateneo showed poise down the stretch and dealt University of the East its 28th consecutive loss with a 25-23, 25-19, 29-27 escape to end a five-game skid in UAAP Season 88 at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Saturday, April 18.

After taking the first two sets, the Blue Eagles lost their steam and were dragged into an extended third frame where they neutralized Khy Cepada’s scoring outburst and capitalized on untimely errors from the Lady Warriors before sealing the win with a service ace from JLo Delos Santos.

Not only it improved to 2-11, Ateneo also ended its string of losses since the start of the second round. On the other hand, UE exited this year’s tournament with a 28-game losing streak which began in the Season 87 opener to mark its back-to-back winless seasons.

UE's longest losing skid was 58 which it cut after beating Adamson in its last elimination game a decade ago in Season 78.

“It’s the purpose… I told the players all the time that they need to try to do their best all the time, and the situation matter, if we start good or not, we need to fight all the time,” said Ateneo head coach Sergio Veloso, pertaining to their team almost yielding in the third canto.

Dona De Leon took charge for the Katipunan-based squad after posting 14 points built on 11 attacks, two blocks, and one ace with three digs, while Jihan Chuatico and Ana Hermosura, who also tallied 11 excellent digs and nine excellent receptions, added 12 and 11 points, respectively.

“For me, I’m so very happy, para sa akin po ginagawa kolang po ‘yong role, credits din po sa mga ates, pero we’re going definitely trying our best to make bawi this season,” said De Leon. “But ako po I’m happy po ako sa naco-contribute ko sa team.”

Delos Santos, who delivered the dagger, logged nine points, seven digs, and four receptions, while KC Cortez shone with 22 excellent sets on top of four points and two digs for Ateneo, which plays its final game against Far Eastern University next Wednesday, April 22, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Cepada, as expected, poured it all for UE with a superb triple-double effort of 18 points, 11 digs, and 13 receptions, while Nessa Bangayan and Angel Pepito contributed 11 and nine points, respectively, in a losing cause.

Meanwhile, UE notched its first back-to-back wins after toppling semis-bound Ateneo, 25-16, 22-25, 25-18, 25-22, to conclude its run off the flyer in the men’s side.

Buoyed by their straight-set win over the De La Salle Green Spikers, the Red Warriors, powered by Roy Piojo and Raquim Aceron, carried the upswing with a rousing opener before stumbling in the second set, but recovered in the next two frames, where they built early breakaways, to strike back at the Blue Eagles.

UE jumped to sixth place with a 4-10 card – much better than its winless campaign last year and its best since Season 85 where it finished with a 5-9 tally – while Ateneo settled for a 7-6 card still at fourth.

Piojo topscored for UE as he posted 23 points off 21 spikes and two aces with five excellent digs, while Aceron also scored 23 points with 18 excellent receptions and six excellent digs. Xjhann Camaymayan, for his part, tallied 14 points.

Isaiah Roca chipped in nine points and five excellent receptions, while Jio Rada posted 21 excellent sets and rookie libero Cjay Nabora led the floor defense with 15 excellent digs and 13 excellent receptions.

Jio Salarzon paced the Blue Eagles after listing 20 points, 19 excellent receptions and four excellent digs, while Amil Pacinio added 14 points.

Ateneo, which failed to sustain the momentum from its two-game win streak, goes into a potential Final Four preview when it faces league-leading Far Eastern University Wednesday, April 22, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.