Ateneo Lady Eagles. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
DEFENDING champion Ateneo warmed up for its duel with fierce rival La Salle by overwhelming University of the East, 25-12, 25-10, 25-10, Wednesday in the UAAP Season 78 women’s volleyball tournament yesterday at Filoil Flying V Arena.
The Lady Eagles sustained their fiery form with Jho Marauinot and Alyssa Valdez combining brilliantly with playmaker Jia Morado in pouncing on an overmatched UE squad.
It was Ateneo’s sixth straight victory as it moved closer to a first round sweep.
Standing in the Lady Eagles’ way of a first-round sweep is arch nemesis La Salle, which they face on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. The two rivals have squared off in the finals in the last four seasons.
The Lady Eagles needed just 64 minutes to put away the Lady Warriors and extend their winning streak to 24 matches in a run that dates back to March 2014. Only Adamson softball (71) and National University men’s lawn tennis (43) and women’s basketball (32) have longer active winning streaks than the reigning two-time champions.
Meanwhile, Adamson rallied past Far Eastern U, 21-25, 17-25, 25-19, 25-23, 15-10, to snap a four-game skid.
The Lady Falcons leaned on a big game from rookie May Roque who finished with a career-high 23 points.
Adamson which improved to 2-4, also got a superb effort from Jema Galanza who chipped in 16 points and nine digs. The Lady Falcons opened the fifth set with a 10-2 burst with Mylene Paat firing three service aces.
In the men’s division, Adamson hammered out a 25-18, 25-23, 18-25, 18-15, 15-13 victory over University of the Philippines while Ateneo rolled past UE, 25-16, 25-18, 25-14.
The Falcons and Eagles remained tied at top spot with 5-1 records.