ATENEO fought back from two sets down to send University of the Philippines crashing, 22-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-17, 15-9, in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With Ateneo backed against the wall, Lyann De Guzman led a fightback with a career-high 24 points on 19 attacks, four blocks, and one ace to steer the Blue Eagles to their first win after six successive defeats since last season.
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Ateneo's eighth straight win against the Fighting Maroons and its former coach Oliver Almadro kept UP winless in women’s volleyball in its last 14 games.
“Meron na kaming consistency ngayong game and like coach (Sergio Veloso) said, we just need to keep playing and playing kahit down two sets kasi hangga’t may strong mind kami, kaya namin talaga. And at the end, kakapit at kakapit kami,” said De Guzman after her career night.
While it looked like Almadro & Co. were poised to go one up on Ateneo with an early 2-0 set lead, the Blue Eagles rode on De Guzman’s hot hands and Sobe Buena’s fifth-set heroics (14 points).
And despite posting 33 unforced errors, Ateneo more than made up for its lapses by firing 64 attacks on UP, with De Guzman and Buena taking the lion's share with 37 hits.
More than the relief of scoring their first win, it’s the confidence boost for Buena & Co. which they’ll bank on the rest of the way — more so ahead of their upcoming rivalry battle with La Salle in three days’ time.
“We’re starting really to find our groove. We’re starting to become more confident inside the court and that’s really important, especially going onto the next few games,” said Buena.
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