By AJ Alarcon

The Ateneo Blue Eagles once again faced the De La Salle Zobel (DLSZ) Junior Lady Spikers for their second-round bout in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 High School Girls’ Volleyball Tournament held on Sunday, November 2, at the Blue Eagle Gym, where the Eagles endured a tough 0–3 opening match loss.

Leading the Blue-and-White charge, Team Captain Jelena Dait went on the offensive with 13 kills and 3 impressive service aces. Luanne Atienza and Aubrey Tay also contributed 6 attacks and a service ace each to boost Ateneo’s tally. Meanwhile, Jona Ajon took sole charge of playmaking duties with 11 excellent sets and a successful attack.

Ateneo came close to snatching the opening set, tallying 23 points before DLSZ closed it out, 23–25. The recovering Ateneo were once again bolted with a 14–25 tally in favor of DLSZ to end the second set. 

With a quick-ending third set, Ateneo faced defeat in front of the Archers with a 15–25 scoreline.

But defeat can only reach within the court and the tally. The Blue Eagles continue to keep their spirits high as they look ahead to their next match.

When the girls clutched a victory during their last match of the first-round eliminations, the University of the East (UE) faced a hungry aerie powered by Dait’s 11 kills and 13 digs, Atienza’s 9 kills and 1 block, and Player of the Game Ajon, who delivered 13 sets, 3 attacks, and 2 digs.

Reflecting on carrying that momentum into the second round, Dait shared, “We hope to take the good things with us as we enter the second round and leave behind the things that made us struggle.”

She added, “The team is always striving to do things better than before; to keep surpassing ourselves each game.”

However, following their second-round opener loss, the team captain acknowledged the need to manage emotions and errors on the court. “The team definitely needs to work on consistency and composure,” Dait said. Still, the team’s spirit remains unshaken. “We just need to get past what has already happened and move forward to get the next point,” she emphasized.

Seeking redemption, the Blue Eagles aim to bounce back with that very momentum as they take on the roars and pounces of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) on Tuesday, November 4, at the Paco Arena.