Ateneo logs third straight win via 5-set thriller

Members of the Ateneo Lady Eagles celebrate their victory over Adamson University.
inquirer.net

ATENEO continued its steady climb after overcoming Adamson University, 25-18, 14-25, 25-18, 15-25, 15-10, in the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball tournament Wednesday at Filoil Flying V Centre.

The Lady Eagles streaked to their third straight win for the sole possession of the third seed with a 3-2 (win-loss) record, half-a-game ahead of University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Far Eastern University (FEU).

The Lady Falcons have now lost two straight and dropped to sixth with a 2-3 card.

Although Ateneo failed to gain momentum midway through the fifth set, its two leaders came up big in the clutch.

Kat Tolentino scored two straight points, first a kill then a block on Eli Soyud, to give the Lady Eagles a 14-10 lead right before captain Maddie Madayag denied Chiara Permentilla for the match’s final point.

This was the first time Ateneo’s played in a match that reached five sets this season.

“I think we really showed that we are capable of outing up a fight, compared to the other games we played,” said Madayag in Filipino. “The scores were really close and the young players really stepped up today.”

“We’re slowly improving and slowly getting our game back.”

Right before Madayag and Tolentino did their damage, it was sophomore Jules Samonte who carried Ateneo.

Samonte first punished Adamson skipper Jema Galanza with a through-the-block kill for Ateneo’s 11-8 lead in the deciding set then followed it up with another kill this time on Lea Perez for the 12-9 margin.

Jhoana Maraguinot paced Ateneo with 15 points while Madayag and Samonte added 14 points apiece.

Tolentino also finished in double digits for the Lady Eagles with 10 points.