Ateneo clinches Final Four spot, outlasts FEU

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Ateneo booked the first Final Four berth after a five-set thriller over Far Eastern University, 25-20, 25-22, 17-25, 21-25, 15-8, to retain the top seed in the UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball tournament Saturday at Filoil Flying V Centre.

The Lady Eagles clinched their seventh straight semifinals appearance and their eighth overall as they bagged their eighth consecutive victory and improved to 9-1 this season.

The Lady Tamaraws, meanwhile, fell to 5-5 and are in danger of falling behind in the race for either the third or fourth seed.

Despite pushing the game into a fifth set, FEU failed to complete its valiant comeback as it gave Ateneo four of its last five points with Angelica Cayuna’s final attempt going out of bounds to ensure the Lady Eagles’ victory.

And even though Ateneo took its rightful place in the Final Four, assistant coach Sherwin Meneses said the Lady Eagles are far from peaking.

“There are still a lot of things that this team can do, they haven’t peaked yet, this isn’t their peak,” said Meneses. “We’re still waiting for them to peak because these girls will still keep improving as we head to the semifinals.”

Jhoana Maraguinot led Ateneo with 23 points while Mich Morente and Bea De Leon combined for 27.

Jia Morado, who has treated the Lady Eagles like her own personal orchestra, had 39 excellent sets, just one set shy of tying FEU’s entire production.

Bernadeth Pons had 19 points to lead the Lady Tamaraws.