BEA DE LEON took the spotlight from the eminent Alyssa Valdez and fired 16 hits as Ateneo shrugged off a shaky start to smother University of Santo Tomas (UST), 27-25, 25-16, 25-17, and move in the threshold of the finals of the Shakey’s V-League Season 12 Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan City on Saturday.
De Leon, who, with the rest of the Lady Eagles, used to stay in the background since Valdez took the lead role in their second game in the group stages of the tournament presented by PLDT Home Ultera, matched her eight attacks with an awesome eight-block performance to anchor the Loyola-based squad’s superb net defense and the victory at the start of their best-of-three semis series.
Valdez did unleash a 15-hit output, including 13 attack points, while Amy Ahomiro, Jhoanna Maraguinot, Kim Gequillana and Gizelle Tan provided the needed backup with a combined 26 hits to complete the unbeaten Lady Eagles’ 78-minute demolition of the six-time champions.
“Good blocking, defense,” Ateneo Coach Tai Bundit said.
The second-seeded National University (NU) stumbled in the third set but put its act together in time to defuse Far Eastern U, 25-15, 25-22, 25-27, 25-23, and, likewise, zero in on the other finals berth in their side of the Final Four.
Skipper Jorelle Singh stepped up in the absence of guest player Dindin Santiago-Manabat, scoring 11 hits she capped with three aces, while Jaja Santiago and Myla played true to form and combined for 37 hits for the Lady Bulldogs, who will try to finish off the Lady Tams in Game Two on Sunday.
The match, set at 12:45 p.m., will be aired live on GMA News TV Channel 11, according to the organizing Sports Vision.
Ateneo and UST clash at 3 p.m. with both matches can also be viewed live via streaming on www.v-league.ph.
The Lady Tams, behind guest player Jovelyn Gonzaga, Bernadeth Pons and Toni Rose Basas, outsteadied the Lady Bulldogs in the extended third set to stay in the match, but lost steam in another down-to-the-wire finish in the fourth. Pons wound up with 16 markers, while Basas and Gonzaga added 12 and 11 hits, respectively, for the Lady Tams, who seek to bounce back strong today and send the series to a deciding match on Wednesday.
Save for a scary first set, it was all Ateneo the rest of the way as the Tigresses lost their poise while trying to defend the Lady Eagles attacks from all angles.
They did hold their ground in defense upfront, coming through with seven blocks against the Lady Eagles’ 11, but the Tigresses failed to sustain their attacks after dropping the tightly fought opener, finishing with just 21 against their rivals’ 35.
Ateneo also pounced on poor UST service reception, scoring 11 aces against the Tigresses’ five.
The win thus kept Ateneo win streak going since the elims of the league sponsored by Shakey’s and backed by Mikasa and Accel with the Lady Eagles all fired up to wrap it all up on Sunday in Game Two starting at 3 p.m.
Ennajie Laure topscored for UST with nine points,ß while skipper Pam Lastimosa struggled with four hits in a two-set stint and Marvic Meneses and Jessey de Leon combined for 13 markers and Chlodia Cortez, Carla Sandoval and Alexine Cabanos chipping in two hits apiece.
Image credits: Nonoy Lacza
