HINABOL nina Ateneo’s Lyann de Guzman at libero Roma Mae Doromal ang bola laban sa UE sa UAAP women’s volleyball season opener noong nakaraang linggo. UAAP PHOTO
Mga laro ngayon:
(Mall of Asia Arena)
10 a.m. – AdU vs UP (Men)
12 noon – NU vs Ateneo (Men)
2 p.m. – AdU vs UP (Women)
4 p.m. – NU vs Ateneo (Women)
NANANATILING kumpiyansa ang Ateneo sa kabila ng morale-deflating season-opening loss sa University of the East na tumapos sa 21-match winning run na tumagal ng 14 taon.
“In these situations, when you have any problem, you will never give it up. I can see my team try to do their best. In the hard moments, you need to have more experience. You can play better,” wika ni Brazilian coach Sergio Veloso makaraang malasap ng Blue Eagles ang 25-20, 18-25, 23-25, 18-25 defeat sa Lady Warriors noong nakaraang linggo.
“It’s about time to improve, no matter who you are. You try to do your best. I’m happy and the players tried to do their best, no matter what happened, no matter the score. This for me, is the best,” dagdag pa niya.
Umaasa ang Ateneo na maiangat ang lebel ng kanilang laro kontra National University na sisikaping makabawi mula sa straight-set setback sa University of Santo Tomas ngayong alas-4 ng hapon sa UAAP women’s volleyball tournament sa Mall of Asia Arena.
Magsasalpukan ang Adamson at University of the Philippines, galing din sa season-opening losses, sa unang laro sa alas-2 ng hapon.
Nawala sa Blue Eagles, na sisikaping makaiwas sa 0-2 simula sa ikalawang pagkakataon sa tatlong seasons, ang kanilang tatlong starters — Vanie Gandler, Faith Nisperos at Joan Narit — na pawang piniling isuko ang kanilang final year ng playing eligibility upang maging pro.
Ilang linggo bago ang simula ng season, nagpasya sina Jana Cane, Jean Licauco at Yumi Furukawa na iwan ang Ateneo at sumama sa baguhang PVL club Strong Group Athletics.
Naiwan na lamang sina Lyann de Guzman, Geezel Tsunashima, AC Miner, Yvana Sulit, Taks Fujimoto at libero-captain Roma Mae Doromal na magtutulungan para makabalik ang Blue Eagles sa Final Four makaraang mabigo ito noong nakaraang taon.
“Since mga seniors na kami, we really need like to step up since kami lang din yung mga inaasahan sa team. Kami yung mga ates sa mga rookies. Kailangang magpakita ng leadership and maging role model sa kanila,” sabi ni De Guzman, na nagtala ng 19 points at 16 digs sa opener.
Sa wakas ay nakapagpakitang-gilas sa UAAP, umaasa si JLo delos Santos na patuloy na makatulong makaraang mag-ambag ng 12 points, kabilang ang 2 blocks at 2 service aces sa kanyang debut para sa Ateneo.
“It’s a bit tricky on my end because this is like my rookie year, but then I can’t act like a rookie because technically by age, I’m a senior and I have to set a good example to the fellow rookies and of course, my batchmates,” ani Delos Santos.
“So it’s pretty hard because I never got the experience being led by the people before that we were with us before like sina ate Faith and ate Vanie but I was with them for a short while. And I hope with that short while, I was able to get something at them and hopefully, carry it on this season,” dagdag ng 23-year-old open spiker.
Sinimulan ng Lady Bulldogs, ang 2022 champions at runner-ups noong nakaraang season, ang kanilang kampanya sa 19-25, 23-25, 22-25 pagkatalo sa Tigresses.
Nagtala sina Alyssa Solomon at Vange Alinsug ng pinagsamang 27 points, at umaasa ang NU na maging mas agresibo si Bella Belen, na nakakolekta ng 17 digs at 9 receptions, sa opensa matapos na umiskor ng 9 points.
Sinimulan din ng Lady Falcons at Fighting Maroons ang kanilang season sa straight-set defeats.
Ang Adamson ay yumuko sa defending champion La Salle, 16-25, 16-25, 18-25, habang nabigo ang UP sa Far Eastern University, 23-25, 21-25, 18-25.
