The Lady Eagles survived UST in five nail-biting sets, 19-25, 14-25, 25-17, 25-20, 13-15, behind league Best Player Alyssa Valdez, who exploded with 22 points. Phee Nok Kesinee and Dzi Gervacio added 15 and 12 points, respectively, for Ateneo.
Gervacio unleashed the game-winning spike to cap the Lady Eagles’ victory.
“Even if we didn’t win the championship, we were able to gain valuable experience, exposure, and playing time, especially for the young players,” UST coach Odjie Mamon said.
UST opened the game with several errors that allowed Ateneo to establish an early 20-10 lead. The Lady Spikers managed to close the gap at five, 19-24, but Gervacio’s quick hit that went off the hands of UST’s Dancel Dusaran sealed the set.
UST still had no answers for Ateneo’s relentless attacks in the second frame. The Lady Eagles secured the set with Gervacio’s placement at the baseline.
Mamon brought in sophomores Carmela Tunay and Pamela Lastimosa, and senior Loren Lantin in the next set to replace Maruja Banaticla and injured players Mary Jean Balse and team captain Rhea Dimaculangan.
Tunay and company responded well with Lantin leading the team to a set point advantage, 24-17. The match was extended to another set after a long error by Ateneo’s Jorelle de Jesus.
Ateneo libero Denden Lazaro suffered woeful reception in the fourth frame, giving the España-based volleybelles a 22-17 lead. UST’s Thai import Utaiwan Kaensing pounded an ace to forge a deciding frame.
With the momentum on their side, the Lady Spikers jumped to an early 4-1 lead in the final set. But Ateneo showed championship poise and slowly got back into the game to tie the score at 13-apiece. The Lady Eagles went on to claim the title following Gervacio’s kill that landed in the middle.
“I am happy that Tunay, Lantin, and Lastimosa bucked the absence of Dimaculangan and Banaticla,” Mamon said.
Maika Ortiz anchored UST’s offense with 18 points, including three blocks and four service aces, while Judy Caballejo and Kaensing had 17 and 16 points, respectively.
UST drew first blood in the best-of-three finals by demolishing Ateneo in four sets, 16-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-23, last June 3.
Ateneo came back strong in Game 2 cruising past UST, 17-25, 25-22, 21-25, 26-28. Jose Antonio R. Nisay with reports from Jan Edward B. Ballesteros
