Ateneo Blue Eagles’ during a game against UP Fighting Maroons in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Ateneo notched a first victory in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament after blanking University of the Philippines, 25-18, 25-22, 25-18, on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.
“The team played good and I give my congrats to Taks because when the whole spiker play good because the setter play very good,” Blue Eagles coach Sergio Veloso said, praising his playmaker Taks Fujimoto who dished out 14 excellent sets.
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LIVE: UAAP Season 87 volleyball February 23 – UP vs Ateneo, NU vs FEU
“But especially in this match I [seriously] worked on our plan and our service is our first attack … and the other one when UP [was ahead] of us in the second set the team continued to play, sticking to the plan and the system and in the end we won,” he added.
Sobe Buena shone with 17 points built on 15 attacks, a block and an ace to lift the injury-hit Blue Eagles to a 1-2 record with the help of Lyann de Guzman who added 14 points on 12 attacks and a pair of aces and Yvana Sulit finished with nine points.
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Ateneo Blue Eagles’ Sobe Buena during a game against UP Fighting Maroons in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
“It feels really good to be back on the court because I think today we played not just for us 12 on the court, not just for the coaching staff but for the Ateneo community and also for Zel [Tsunashima] and Jlo [delos Santos] so really grateful we got this win and I wouldn’t have gotten the [player of the game] without my teammates,” Buena said.
“For me, makakatulong samin to ng sobra to boost our confidence and we really know what we are capable sa laro namin and I know mas may mapapakita pa kami this season,” De Guzman said.
READ: UAAP: Alyssa Valdez lauds ‘all heart’ Ateneo despite struggles
After handily taking the opening frame, Ateneo slowed down early in the following set as UP created a 15-9 lead, but the Blue Eagles refused to let up and chipped into the deficit as De Guzman tied the game at 20-all.
Buena nailed back-to-back points, AC Miner scored on a cross-court as Buena did the same to give Ateneo a 2-0 set lead.
The Blue Eagles didn’t let the same thing happen again by quickly pulling away in the third set, 16-8, as Buena continued pounding on the Maroons.
De Guzman pulled off a kill through the block before Buena and Miner, who hd 12 points including four from blocks, stopped two straight attempts by Ateneo, 24-17, as Buena hammered a cross-court for the victory.
With the Maroons not fielding their usual starters, Irah Jaboneta was the only one who reached twin digits with 11 attack points apart from 10 excellent receptions.
UP absorbed a first loss in three games, its first two losses handed out by Adamson via a reverse sweep before being swept by National University.
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Ateneo looks to improve its record when it meets Far Eastern University next on March 2 after the Maroons shoot for a bounce back game, both at the same Pasay City venue.
