Ateneo, Adamson enter Final Four
By Anthony Divinagracia and Ivan de Lara
07 February 2010 08:48 AM
Manila, Philippines - Playing against teams already out of contention, Ateneo de Manila University and Adamson University made sure their own Final Four aspirations would not be derailed.
The Lady Eagles again asserted their offensive prowess as they upended the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors, 25-16, 27-25, 25-17, in the 7nd UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at the San Juan Arena on Saturday.
It was another day in the office for sophomore Angeline Gervacio as she paced her teammates with 17 points. Fille Cainglet and Bea Pascual came through with a combined effort of 19 kills.
Falling into a maze of errors in the second frame, the Lady Eagles went to Gervacio, Cainglet, and Pascual to rally behind an eight-point margin and eventually take the set.
After a listless opening-canto performance, the Lady Falcons asserted their might against the University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons, 21-25, 25-9, 25-13, 25-14.
Sophomore Paulina Soriano displayed her game-long brilliance as she scattered 20 kills and three blocks. Being the lone bright spot for the Lady Falcons in the first set, Soriano continued to bury her hits which proved to be too strong for the Lady Maroons’ defense. She registered a 51 % spiking success rate in the game, several notches higher than her 43% norm. Open hitters Angela Benting and Jill Gustillo chipped in a collective 25-point output.
With her team up 22-6 in the fourth set, Adamson coach Dulce Pante had the luxury of fielding in relievers Jenalyn Ortega, Lorraine Noviza and Theresa Piza.
UP’s injured player Carmela Lopez tried to delay the inevitable as her team scored five straight points off her service. She once again led the Lady Maroons in scoring with 10 markers despite playing with a bum knee.
The Lady Eagles and the Lady Falcons completed this year’s Final Four cast, joining still unbeaten De La Salle University and second-running University of Santo Tomas, and eliminating last year’s runners-up Far Eastern University (FEU), in the process. Ateneo, however, occupies the third spot with a half-a-game lead over Adamson.
In men’s competition, Ateneo fortified its own Final Four chances for the second straight year, surviving the UP Maroons, 25-23, 29-27, 23-25, 25-20.
“We got to our target of seven wins with one more game remaining,” said Ateneo coach Timothy Sto. Tomas. “The win also gave us a clearer track into the Final Four.”
Rookie Joseph Sandoval played the biggest game of his young career so far as he led the Eagles in scoring with 20 points. He was backstopped by teammates Duane Teves and AJ Pareja, who added 17 and 15 markers, respectively.
The Eagles got a bigger boost later in the morning as second-seeded FEU made quick work of La Salle, 20-25, 25-22, 25-12, 25-13.
Neutralized by La Salle’s solid floor and net defense in the first frame, the triumvirate of Nestor Molate, Rodolfo Labrador, and Joshua Alcarde rebounded in the next three sets as they hammered the Archers with their 19, 17, and 15 points, respectively. Labrador, who finished with five blocks, was also responsible for containing the opposing team’s top hitters.
The contrasting results sent Ateneo and La Salle to a tie for third place with identical 7-6 win-loss records. UP’s record dropped to fifth place at 6-7 after losing two straight games.
The Maroons would have to win their last game against UE to at least force a playoff against the loser in the Ateneo-La Salle face-off on February 14.
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Year of the Tigers
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Queens of the volleyball court
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precious ball
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Marianne Narciso on target in Game 1
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Lady Archers fall in Game 1
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UST draws first blood
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