ATENEO had bid goodbye to a perfect season but certainly not the championship.
Rebounding from its first loss, a steady Ateneo side downed University of Santo Tomas, 25-16, 22-25, 25-20, 28-26, to force a winner-take-all duel in the Shakey’s V-League presented by Smart yesterday at Filoil Flying V Arena.
Alyssa Valdez delivered the big game Ateneo needed, pumping in 22 kills and eight service aces in a phenomenal 31-point performance.
Ella De Jesus also stepped up for the Lady Eagles with four crucial hits in the fourth set, including the match-clinching point that wrapped up Game 2 and leveled the best-of-three series at 1-1.
“We live to fight another day,” said Ateneo coach Roger Gorayeb after his Lady Eagles foiled the Tigresses’ title sweep bid.
The Tigresses pulled off a 16-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-23 Game 1 victory that snapped Ateneo’s amazing 10-game win streak Sunday.
But the Lady Eagles seemed to have shrugged off the heartbreak with Thai import Phee Nok Kesinee also lifting them with 15 points and Fille Cainglet adding 12 on kills.
The deciding Game 3 between the conference’s top two seeds is set at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
“The pressure affected the girls today,” said UST coach Odjie Mamon. “It was a good fight. But when it comes to the championship, it’s more in the mind rather than skills.”
Earlier, San Sebastian swept Perpetual Help, 26-24, 25-17, 24-26, 25-23, to claim third spot. With a report from Randolph Leongson