UAAP: One big fight! Ateneo Lady Eagles upset NU Lady Bulldogs, book Finals date with undefeated DLSU

(Updated 9:00pm) The Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles are headed to the UAAP women’s volleyball Finals for the third straight time in three years, after eliminating the second-seeded National University Lady Bulldogs in four sets, 25-22 8-25 25-19 25-22, on Saturday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum
 
“Heart strong,” said Ateneo head coach Anusorn ‘Tai’ Bundit, “We’re happy. Everybody is thinking. Happy, unity, heart strong, we can win.”
 
Reigning top scorer Alyssa Valdez again put up a stellar performance, dropping 22 points off 16 attacks, five blocks, and one service point. Senior player Ella De Jesus posted 12 points, while rookie Michelle Morente and utility hitter Amy Ahomiro scored nine markers apiece. Ateneo’s win streak now stretches to seven games, the longest since the Roger Gorayeb era.
 
“Training not happy,” joked Valdez, “Laging sinasabi ni Coach Tai na ‘Wala lang yan, heart strong’ and yung ginagawa namin is for the team, kaya naming nagagawa, para sa mga sacrifices ng mga teammates namin.”
 
Coach Anusorn ‘Tai’ Bundit leads a nubile Ateneo team in only his first stint as head coach for the Ateneo women’s volleyball program, after the core of Gretchen Ho, Fille Cainglet, Angeline Gervacio, Jem Ferrer, and Aillysse Nacachi all played out their years of eligibility. Bundit steered a number three team with four rookies over the league’s second-best and tallest team, the latter having a twice-to-beat advantage to boot.
 
“Sa video, lahat ng patak ng bola ni Santiago, pinag-aralan nila”, said Ateneo Team Manager Tony Boy Liao, “ Halos kasi lahat ng palo niya running, sa isang lugar lang bumabagsak yung bola eh. May problema kami dyan nung set two, natalo kami walang coverage, pagkapalo, drop, walang coverage, hindi naming nakita yun.”
 
Third-seeded Ateneo de Manila (10-4) is locked with De La Salle (14-0) in a match-up where the latter team holds a thrice-to-beat advantage after forcing a stepladder format with its perfect elimination round record. La Salle only has to win two games to clinch the championship, while Ateneo has to labor through an extra game to capture its first volleyball title in the UAAP.
 
“La Salle is a very strong team,” said Coach Bundit, “If we believe to win, we can win.”
 
The Lady Bulldogs stomped to an early 5-1 lead early in the first set, putting a secondary line of defense behind the blockers whenever Valdez attacked, a move which frustrated Ateneo’s offense from the get-go. The Lady Eagles managed to mount a comeback, as multiple errors and the gutsy play by Ella De Jesus provided points for ADMU, 8-8. Both teams stayed knotted in a series of deadlocks until Ateneo momentarily held on to a single-point lead, 15-14, which Aiko Urdas took back for NU, after scoring two straight, 16-15.
 
Ateneo played catch-up again, until Jaja Santiago put NU ahead by two points with a kill from the right, 19-17. Teams were locked at 20-20, the final deadlock of the set, before two successive hits from Morente put Ateneo ahead, 22-20, and two successive attacks from Valdez and Ahomiro wrapped up the first set for the Lady Eagles, 25-22.

Ateneo scored 14 points off attacks and three blocks in the first set victory.
 
The teams started the second locked at 4-4 until the Lady Bulldogs stormed out of the pound, going on a 5-0 run and another 6-0 run, as they trooped to a 15-5 lead. A service error from Jaja Santiago cut Ateneo a quick break, 15-6, but her older sister took the point back just as quickly, 16-6. NU again went on a run from the 17-7 mark, scoring seven straight, and a net violation from Valdez handed the second set on a silver platter to NU, 25-8, as the Lady Bulldogs tallied eight block points and eight attacks.
 
Both squads again played toe-to-toe by the start of the third set until Ahomiro gave Ateneo a two-point leverage, which increased to three, 16-13, after a gimpy Valdez scored on an ace, giving the crowd a scare after a hard fall. Ateneo pushed the lead to four after a kill from Morente, 20-16, and the Lady Eagles regained their bounce, as Valdez found the cracks in NU’s defense, while Dindin Santiago carried the brunt of the offense for NU. The Lady Bulldogs stagnated at 18 points, while Ateneo built on its lead, which reached five, 24-19, until a long ball from Dindin Santiago put Ateneo ahead two sets to one, 25-19.
 
NU held a two-point lead early after two successive points from Jaja Santiago, which Ateneo evened out at 9-9 after three straight from Ahomiro and Valdez. The Lady Eagles wedged three markers between them and NU after an error from Jaja Santiago, 16-13, but three straight from the Santiago sisters evened the game at 16 points. De Jesus again provided a spark for Ateneo, scoring two straight and giving them a 20-17 lead heading to the home stretch.
 
The Lady Eagles scored three straight points after an error from Aganon and two straight blocks from Patnongon and Valdez, 23-18, but the Lady Bulldogs again mounted a comeback, getting within a single point after four unanswered from Dindin Santiago and Urdas, 23-22. Santiago, playing in what might be her last game in the league, committed a service error to put Ateneo ahead two points, 24-22. On the ensuing possession, Valdez scored on a down-the-line hit, punching the Lady Eagles' ticket to the Finals.
 
The Lady Eagles committed 27 unforced errors, but were highly efficient in the digging and reception departments, tallying 35 digs and 31 receptions in the game.
 
The older Santiago notched 19 points in a losing cause while the younger Santiago helped with 14 of her own. NU actually scored more points than Ateneo, 88-83, but played feeble defense in the last two sets.
 
National U enters next season without Dindin Santiago and Carmina Aganon, who both have played out their years of eligibility.

The De La Salle Lady Spikers and the Ateneo de Manila Lady Eagles face off at 4pm on Wednesday, March 5, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Cubao. - AMD, GMA News
 

SET SCORES: 25-22, 8-25, 25-19, 25-22