Taking flight

Ateneo totally outclassed University of the East to create a gridlock at the top in UAAP Season 81’s women’s volleyball tournament.

Adamson, reeling from the sacking of its coach, scored its first win at the expense of National University in a drama-filled Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Lady Falcons came into the game with a new coach after the eloquent and incisive American tactician Airess Padda got sacked on the heels of three straight losses and played inspired volleyball to trip the Lady Bulldogs, 25-15, 25-19, 25-22 victory.

“We know that we wanted to win this because this was for coach Air,” said Adamson’s Bern Flora in Filipino.

“Now we realized we needed discipline and that’s what coach Air had been trying to tell us,” added Flora, who had 15 points.

Padda was replaced by Onyok Getigan, although she will stay as conditioning coach for the Lady Falcons.

The Lady Eagles needed just over an hour to take the fight out of the Lady Warriors, 25-15, 25-21, 25-16.

It was Ateneo’s third straight victory after dropping its first match against arch-rival and three-time defending champion La Salle. Ateneo thus tied the Lady Spikers and University of the Philippines’ Lady Maroons at the top of the standings.

Maddie Madayag scored 11 points for the Lady Eagles who led in all departments except for excellent receptions, which UE dominated, 37-21.

But the Lady Eagles targeted Judith Abil for most of those receptions. Abil accounted for 18 of the receptions, which naturally kept UE’s top scorer busy.

“I think we allowed UE to get back into the game in the second set, and because UE trusts each other they can really get take advantage of that,” said Madayag, referring to the only competitive frame of the match.

But Ateneo wasn’t about to give it up as it displayed its winning attitude, beating UE in attacks (38-29), kill-blocks (8-4) and service aces (5-2).

“Definitely, we have the communications going and trust in each other,” added Madayag. “There is no nervousness at all and we just play our game and follow the system.”

Kat Tolentino topscored for Ateneo with 13 points, while Bea de Leon and Jules Samonte added eight each.

Abil had 14 points for the Lady Warriors, who gave away 24 points in errors compared to the Lady Eagles’ 17.