Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Like their recent showdowns in the finals, there was great anticipation heading into Game 1 of a best-of-three duel between longtime rivals Ateneo and La Salle.
Even before the first serve was hit, the raucous crowd at Smart Araneta Coliseum was on its feet.
In the end, however, only half of were standing as the Lady Spikers swept the Lady Eagles, 25-22, 25-22, 25-21, and Ateneo captain Alyssa Valdez summed it up perfectly.
“We really lacked self-confidence,” Valdez said. “We lacked the killer instinct.”
An Ateneo side in Season 78 Finals was a far cry from the Ateneo team that ripped La Salle apart in Season 77.
Sure, the Lady Eagles started the match strong in each of the three sets, including a 7-1 burst in the first set. But good starts don’t always translate to great endings and that was the case for Ateneo.
“La Salle really prepared for us,” Valdez said. “They really wanted to win.”
“Even though, we got a head start, they really wanted to win.”
A loss on Wednesday will mark the end of the Lady Eagles’ two-year reign, but Valdez knows they just have to move on from what’s already past and take back what they believe to be rightfully theirs.
“Onto the next game, there’s nothing to lose,” Valdez said. “We just really need to loosen up and enjoy the game.”