An unexpected hero for Ateneo

By: Bong Lozada - 9 years ago

Ateneo setter Ish Polvorosa (left) is the Finals MVP. Photo by Bong Lozada/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines-He worked the front lines as much as anybody on his team, but he usually stayed grounded and never aimed to score.

He was his team’s reliable setter.

With his team riding a match-changing momentum swing, sophomore Ish Polvorosa rose up from the right flank then struck home an unlikely comet.

Polvorosa capped Ateneo’s 9-2 run in the fourth set that put them up, 20-10.

They eventually beat defending champions National University to claim Ateneo’s first ever UAAP Men’s Volleyball title.

The Finals MVP? The quiet and unassuming setter.

“Expected? Not at all,” Polvorosa said as they claimed the title in Game 2 of the Finals, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-15.

“As a setter, I’m dependent on the attackers that receive my sets. I had reliable spikers on my side.”

Polvorosa’s eyes grew wide as if he just saw the Kingdom come, but he only realized that he scored on a crosscourt spike that gave them the biggest lead of the championship set.