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
MANILA, Philippines — Sobe Buena provided the much-needed spark as Ateneo finally entered the win column in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament.
Sidelined in their opening game collapse to Adamson and straight-set loss to National University due to a left ankle injury, Buena returned to action with a game-high 17 points to deal the first loss of the University of the Philippines, 25-18, 25-22, 25-18, on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.
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LIVE: UAAP Season 87 volleyball February 23 – UP vs Ateneo, NU vs FEU
“For me it feels really good to be able to be back on the court because I think today we played not just for us 12 on the court, not just for our coaching staff but for the Ateneo community and also of course for Zel (Tsunashima) and JLo (Delos Santos),” said Buena, who had 15 kills out of 27 attacks, one block, and an ace.
Buena was eager to make up for lost time after a two-game skid to start their campaign.
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“I think I just tried to make the most out of this game because I wasn’t able to help my teammates in those first two games so my mindset going to this game was really just to give my all and to be a good teammate to all of my teammates,” she said.
“We all work really hard in training and we all really sacrifice a lot to be here so I guess I just wanted to make the best out of everything we sacrificed and just play my game.”
READ: UAAP: Ateneo sweeps UP to bag first win in women’s volleyball
The third-year spiker was also eager to win games for Tsunashima and Delos Santos, who were ruled out of the season due to season-ending injuries on their shin and ACL, respectively.
“We’re playing for Zel and JLo and I think that’s really something we can get our strength from, it’s really something na we can keep working hard towards as we try to make the Final Four and help each other along the way,” Buena said.
After getting their first win, Buena is hungry for more as they face Far Eastern University on Sunday at MOA Arena.
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“I guess our first win was also against UP and last year, it really boosted our morale going into the rest of the tournament and I think, same lang din for this year. I think we just tried to play with a lot of energy and aggressiveness as coach told us to do. We really tried to play with a lot of confidence,” she said.
