UAAP: Heart-strongest - Ateneo completes Cinderella run to claim women's volleyball title

(Update-2, 7:05pm) What the heart wants, the heart gets.

Against the odds, the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles completed one of the biggest upsets in UAAP volleyball, dispatching the defending three-peat champions De La Salle Lady Spikers 25-23 26-24 25-21, Saturday at the MOA Arena.

Making the feat more impressive was the fact that arch-rivals La Salle had been armed with a thrice-to-beat advantage in the Finals series. ADMU also needed to climb all the way up in the stepladder postseason, first eliminating Adamson in a win-or-go-home match, followed by trumping NU's twice-to-beat edge.

In the Finals, Ateneo triumphed 3-1 in the first game, snapping the Lady Spikers' 30-win streak. They then survived a must-win game three in five sets, to force a decisive game four, where they emerged triumphant for their first women's volleyball crown in the UAAP and just their second overall (1976-77 in the NCAA).

Rookie Julia Morado distributed the ball well for Ateneo with 24 excellent sets, while reigning MVP Alyssa Valdez finished with 21 points, 19 coming from attacks. Michelle Morente and Ella de Jesus added 11 and 10 respectively. Additionally, their keen libero, Den Lazaro, marked 18 excellent receptions for the girls in blue and white.

Valdez was later named Finals MVP.

After the game, Valdez said the team constantly kept their expectations low. "This year, walang nagexpect na pumasok kami sa Finals kaya wala talagang pressure." She later added, "Siguro yun yung nagwork sa amin. So yun yung imamaintain namin as a team. Kailangan maging happy parati sa court at magkaroon ng teamwork," taking a page out of her coach Anusorn 'Tai' Bundit's phrasebook.

Coach Bundit, for his part, said, "If you believe, you can win."

Ateneo started with an offensive boost from their team captain Alyssa Valdez as the Lady Eagles forced Coach Ramil de Jesus to call for time with a 15-10 advantage. La Salle responded to the deficit with down the line kills from Ara Galang and a well-balanced attacks from their spikers. The Lady Spikers were able to power through an 18-17 lead  though, care of an Aby Marano front-row kill.

However, the co-captain duo of Ella de Jesus and Valdez helped the Lady Eagles keep their squad’s composure as ADMU benefited from a variety of attacks from their offensive arsenal. Ateneo drew first blood with a 25-23 opening set win.

La Salle broke out in the second set with an immediate 7-1 cushion. Ateneo retaliated with a spark from rookie Michelle Morente, who worked efficiently from the front-row. ADMU managed to tie the set at 8-all and 9-all, but La Salle found enough offense to bubble a safe advantage. Marano’s accuracy from the service zone gave the Lady Spikers a 17-10 buffer.

The Lady Spikers reached the set point at 24-21 before Ateneo kept themselves within striking distance. Valdez took on the offensive load while Ahomiro assumed charge of the defensive duties. Ateneo pulled off a 5-0 scoring run and stole the second set, 26-24.
 
Ateneo broke through the third set with a 16-10 advantage. La Salle kept close, maneuvering to within two at 21-19, care of the relentlessness of Mika Reyes and Ara Galang. However, the resiliency of de Jesus and the absolute strength of Valdez powered through for Ateneo, displaying the meaning of heart strong, 25-21. - RAF/AMD/OMG, GMA News