When the going gets tough, count on Ateneo to raise the bar a little bit higher.
Cruising to what looked like an easy victory, the Lady Eagles were suddenly challenged by the University of the Philippines late in the third set, but found another gear to hold off the Lady Maroons, 25-21, 25-15, 28-26, in UAAP women’s volleyball at Filoil Flying V Centre.
With veterans Kat Tolentino and Bea De Leon showing the way and Maddie Madayag performing superbly at the net, Ateneo soared unimpeded to the solo lead of the tournament with its fourth win in five outings.
“I think it’s all in our mindset,” said Madayag of the Lady Eagles’ strong resolve in the heat of UP’s blitz. “As long as we continue to trust in our system, trust in our coach and trust in each other, we will not go wrong.”
Ateneo actually lost its opening match to archrival La Salle but has now won four straight games.
“We just played how we were supposed to play, because in the end our biggest competitors is ourselves,” added Madayag who wound up with 16 points, including six blocks.
Earlier, Far Eastern University endured Adamson’s gritty stand to prevail, 25-18, 17-25, 25-14, 22-25, 15-8, and extend its own winning run to three.
UP, the first team to deal three-time defending champion La Salle a loss this season, wasn’t able to get into the groove after committing 11 errors in the first set alone.
But the Lady Maroons suddenly came to life in the third set, erasing a 12-16 hole to even take a set point, 26-25, on Marian Buitre’s service ace.
But their errant ways haunted the Lady Maroons again, with back-to-back errors allowing Deanna Wong to flick in the winning tip for the win.
Against an unyielding Lady Falcons, the Lady Tamaraws pounded out their second straight five-set win for their fourth victory in six games.
Heather Guino-o unloaded 20 points, while rookie sensation Lycha Ebon had 15 for FEU.
The Lady Tamaraws also got ample help from libero Buding Duremdes, who covered the floor with 44 excellent digs on top of nine excellent receptions.
The Lady Falcons climbed from 3-8 to close in at 6-8 mainly through Joy Dacoron in the fifth frame. But they failed to sustain the rally and fell to 1-4.