Ateneo opens post-Valdez era with sweep of UST

Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Alyssa Valdez may have already left, but Ateneo hasn’t forgotten its winning ways.

The Lady Eagles swept the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses, 25-20, 25-21, 25-22, Saturday at the start of the UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball tournament at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

This is Ateneo’s first UAAP match without the three-time UAAP MVP Valdez, who steered the school to a couple of championships.

Alexine Cabaños had the unfortunate fate of throwing away UST’s final serve that sealed Ateneo’s win.

“People expected us to have jitters but at the end of the game what we trained for eventually showed,” said Jia Morado, who took over the captain’s role from Valdez. “There were some points when we were shaky but we were able to get a grip of things.”

Jho Maraguinot was the standout offensive player for Ateneo as she led the Lady Eagles with 15 points but Morado also set up other players at their side of the floor.

Returning players Mich Morente and Kat Tolentino combined for 17 points while Bea De Leon added seven.

EJ Laure and Cherry Rondina combined for 27 points to lead UST.