Ateneo Lady Eagles Advance To UAAP Finals, Beats the UST Tigresses

Rookie Alyssa Valdez scored 22 kills on 18 attacks to lead the Ateneo Blue Eagles to a four set victory over the UST Tigresses in the UAAP volleyball competition.

Rookie Alyssa Valdez led the charge for the Ateneo Lady Eagles who beat the UST Tigresses 25-19, 25-16, 22-25, 25-19

It took one Tigress to oust the UST Tigresses from the championship picture of the UAAP volleyball competitions. Former UST high school standout Alyssa Valdez led the charge for the Ateneo Lady Eagles tallying 22 kills on 18 points as Ateneo beat the Tigresses 25-19, 25-16, 22-25, 25-19 at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan City. The Lady Eagles will advance to the Finals of the volleyball competitions. They will be the second Ateneo team to play in the championship of the Season 74 of the UAAP after the baseball team.

Lady Eagles coach Roger Gorayeb revealed that his target was to make it to Finals in Season 75 but that goal was achieved a year earlier. Rookie Alyssa Valdez survived what seemed like a battle with cramps during the latter stages of the fourth set. Valdez had been fighting off cramps during the season. She, however, had enough willpower to score the final point of the fourth set dashing the Tigresses’ hope of advancing to the Finals again.

The Lady Eagles’ defense kept UST’s 1-2 punch of Maru Banaticla and Maika Ortiz at bay. As a result, the Tigresses struggled to put points on the floor. But UST stole the third set with Banaticla and Ortiz finally finding their range. Ateneo libero Denn Lazaro had trouble receiving during the set with Banaticla scoring seven points. After a service error by Valdez in the 2-1 mark, it was UST all the way. With opportunity still knocking at the door, the Tigresses tried to make a run for it in the fourth set but the Lady Eagles wanted no part of it.

Team captain File Cainglet scored on perfect spikes with Gretchen Ho and Angeline Gervacio leading Ateneo’s defense. The Lady Eagles will be facing archrival and defending champion La Salle Lady Spikers in the Finals. La Salle scored a sweep in the eliminations and will thus enjoy a thrice-to-beat advantage in the championship. Game One of the volleyball finals will be on February 22, Wednesday, at The Arena.