By AJ Alarcon

The Ateneo Blue Eagles fought hard to close the gap against De La Salle Santiago Zobel (DLSZ) in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 High School Girls’ Volleyball Tournament opener on September 21 at the Blue Eagle Gym, but the DLSZ Junior Archers proved too strong.

In straight sets, Ateneo pushed to topple DLSZ, who dominated the match, with scores of 16-25, 14-25, and 20-24.

Luanne Atienza led Ateneo’s offense with 6 points, including 2 service aces. Gian Damian contributed 4 kills and a block, while Ainsley Santiago and Thistle Chebat anchored the defense with 4 and 3 excellent digs, respectively. 

Jona Ajon tallied 6 excellent sets, while team captain Jelena Dait delivered a steady all-around performance with 3 kills, 5 excellent receptions, and a service ace.

The first set began with both teams trading errors and quick points. Ateneo briefly took the lead at 6-5 with Damian’s net defense and Dait’s powerful spikes, but DLSZ responded with a service ace from captain Aislinn Alemana. 

Despite Atienza’s smart drop shot, La Salle broke away with a 3-point run that widened the gap to 9-16.

Ateneo faced the flying arrows when DLSZ unleashed a 4-0 run, forcing an 11-point gap at 9-20 — the largest lead of the set — before closing it out, 16-25.

The second set started in Ateneo’s favor with Dait’s service ace, Santiago’s crosscourt kill, and Aubrey Tay’s powerful spike. However, DLSZ pulled ahead after a 5-0 run capped by Ma. Sabine Valdez’s service ace. 

At a crucial moment, an errant Ateneo serve handed La Salle the set, 14-25.

Ateneo showed more rhythm in the third set, jumping to a 6-0 run before Ajon was sidelined due to an injury. Ateneo then struggled to maintain momentum as Alemana tied the score at 10-all with a crosscourt attack. 

Both squads hustled in the closing rallies, but La Salle sealed the victory with a service ace, 20-25.

At First Spike

As the first teams to compete in the UAAP high school division, the players acknowledged the pressure of the new season. Still, captain Dait expressed optimism.

“We all understand that it’s always going to be part of the game. But as the season approached, we’ve been really excited to play and to show the Ateneo community that we are ready to represent our school with honor on the court,” she said.

According to Dait, team chemistry has been their focus. “Since we only have two years, players come in and out quickly. So it’s really just been a matter of rebuilding, especially over the summer,” she shared.

She added, “It’s difficult to have a team that hasn’t gelled yet, and it really shows on the court.”

Looking ahead, Dait stated that the team is determined to grow and showcase prowess both in the arena and the academe. 

“Whether or not we bring home a victory, we just want to honor ourselves, represent Ateneo well, and make an impact on the crowd and the community,” she concluded 

The eagles will next face the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tiger Cubs on Sunday, September 28, at 3 p.m. at the Blue Eagle Gym.