BEATING Adamson at the end of the first round is crucial for Ateneo to keep its title hopes going in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament.
“We wanted to win our game (versus the Lady Falcons) to have at least a two-game lead sa third placer going sa second round,” said Lady Eagles mentor Roger Gorayeb.
Ateneo is currently in second place with a 5-1 card, behind defending champion La Salle, which has not tasted a defeat in six outings.
On the other hand, Adamson is tied with University of Santo Tomas at 4-2 in fourth spot.
But the Lady Eagles and the Lady Falcons will wait a little longer to determine their respective rankings going to the second round of the eliminations.
The league yesterday moved the Ateneo-Adamson match as well as the battle between 29-time champion Far Eastern University and National University, both originally set on Saturday, to Jan. 11 to give way to the airing of the football charity match between the Philippine Azkals and Spanish third division team CF Madrid on Studio 23.
After a two-week Christmas break, action resumes on Sunday, highlighted by the much-anticipated duel between the Lady Archers and the Tigresses in rematch of the Season 73 finals at 3:30 p.m. University of the Philippines and University of the East cross paths in the first game at 2 p.m.
Gorayeb, who is now on his fourth season manning the forty for the Lady Eagles, hopes that the girls would be in great shape despite the long break.
“Nagte-training kami nitong Christmas break, kailangang sunugin yung kinain ng mga bata. Mahirap kasing bumaba ang laro nila sa January,” said Gorayeb.
Alyssa Valdez, Fille Cainglet, Dzi Gervacio and super sub Ella de Jesus were playing superb offense for Ateneo, while Gretchen Ho and vastly-improved A Nacachi were making their presence felt in the middle.
Two-time Best Setter Jem Ferrer, despite the early struggles, is slowly getting into the groove of things in playmaking, so is Lady Eagles libero Denden Lazaro on defense.
Ateneo’s lone loss of the season was against La Salle on Dec. 3.
The Lady Eagles, who won the Shakey’s V-League crown last year, seek to win their first women’s volleyball title since joining the UAAP in 1978.
In 1976, Ateneo, then handled by coach Pitong Custodio, emerged as the NCAA volleyball queens.
“Malaking challenge sa mga bata itong season na ito, especially na nag-champion sila sa V-League. Ang wish ko ay sana magtuloy-tuloy ang magandang inilalaro ng mga bata,” said Gorayeb.
