ATENEO shocked the back-to-back seeking La Salle, 23-25, 28-26, 25-23, 25-17, and seize the finals opener of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament Wednesday at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Eagles used its impressive blocking and reception to end a nine-game losing skid to Lady Archers.

It was the first victory by Ateneo coach Roger Gorayeb and the ‘Fab 5’ of Fille Cainglet, Jem Ferrer, Dzi Gervacio, Gretchen Ho and A Nacachi against La Salle since the 2008-09 season.

Before the match, the Lady Eagles last won over the Lady Archers, 27-25, 25-20, 24-26, 25-16, in the first round on Dec. 16, 2007.

“Masaya ako at nasunod yung na-plano namin.  Dahil sa maganda ang reception, nakaka-atake kami,” said Gorayeb.

The loss ended La Salle’s 14-game winning streak which dates back in the elimination round.

An attacking error by rookie Ara Galang allowed Ateneo to pull away, 16-7, in the fourth set.

But Abigail Maraño led La Salle’s rally to move closer to 12-16.

But instead of crumbling under pressure just like in their five-set loss last Feb. 12, the Lady Eagles showed poise down the stretch, as Alyssa Valdez, Cainglet and Gervacio turned the heat with their timely hits to win Game 1.

Valdez finished with 24 hits, including four service aces, while Cainglet added 19 hits, including three blocks, and 15 digs for Ateneo.

Maraño paced the Lady Archers with 17 hits, including three service aces, while Galang and Michelle Gumabao added 14 points.

“Naubusan na ng diskarte yung setter (Mika Esperanza) namin dahil basic na lang yung ginagawa niya.  Disorganized din yung blocking nila,” said La Salle mentor Ramil de Jesus.

Game 2 is set on Saturday, where the Lady Eagles still need to beat the Lady Archers twice to win their first ever title.

Meanwhile, Far Eastern University dashed La Salle’s hopes for a shot at a double championship with a 23-25, 25-19, 25-20, 26-24 in their semifinals decider to arrange a meeting with reigning five-time champion University of Santo Tomas in the best-of-three championship.

The finals opener between the Tamaraws and the Growling Tigers, who have a combined 43 crowns, is set on Saturday.

JR Labrador finished with 20 points and seven digs, while Kirk Beliran added 17 hits for FEU.

John Kevin dela Vega had 15 hits, while Myco Antonio added 12 hits for the Green Archers. (TJ)

MAKING on its first-ever finals appearance as underdogs, Ateneo hopes to solve the puzzle on how to stain the unbeaten record by defending champion La Salle in the finals opener of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at 2 p.m. Wednesday before an expected SRO crowd at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Eagles took two of the first three frames before the Lady Archers rallied to escape with a 18-25, 25-14, 21-25, 25-19, 15-7 victory and register a rare 14-game sweep of the eliminations last Feb. 12.

“Lumabas ang pagkabata nila sa game,” said Ateneo mentor Roger Gorayeb, who made San Sebastian College as the NCAA’s most successful women’s volleyball program.

“Skills-wise, meron kami sa opensa at depensa.  Talagang ang malaking advantage nila (Lady Archers) ay ang height,” he added.

With a ‘thrice-to-beat’ incentive, La Salle must beat Ateneo two times in the finals to bag its seventh league crown.

On the other hand, three wins is what the Lady Eagles needed to claim the first title since joining the league in 1978.

No doubt, veterans Abigail Maraño, Michelle Gumabao and Cha Cruz carried the Lady Archers on top alongside rookies Ara Galang, Mika Reyes, setter Mika Esperanza and libero Melissa Gohing.

The 14-game elims sweep by La Salle was the first since 2004, where the Taft lady spikers where then declared as outright champions.

“Bagong chapter na naman para sa mga bata itong finals.  Kailangan na namang itong paghirapan upang malusutan ang challenge na ito,” said Lady Archers mentor Ramil de Jesus.

One of the most successful women’s volleyball minds in the modern era, de Jesus has a 172-47 win-loss record for a 78.5 percent winning percentage since he started coaching La Salle in the 1997-98 season.

Ateneo, which was used to be the league’s perennial doormat, will pin its hopes on MVP contender Fille Cainglet, Alyssa Valdez, Dzi Gervacio, Gretchen Ho, A Nacachi, playmaker Jem Ferrer and defensive specialist Denden Lazaro.

Whatever the result of the finals, the Lady Eagles have already assured of their most successful season ever, highlighted by their 11-3 elimination round slate.

Ateneo advanced to the finals after ousting University of Santo Tomas, 25-19, 25-16, 22-25, 25-19, in the stepladder semifinals last Wednesday.

Top seed Far Eastern University and No. 4 La Salle collide in their ‘do or die’ match in the men’s semifinals at 10 a.m.

The winner of the Tamaraws-Green Archers duel will face the reigning four-time titlist Growling Tigers in the best-of-three finals which starts on Saturday.  (TJ)

ATENEO is pushovers no more as the Lady Eagles arranged a championship showdown with unbeaten La Salle by ousting University of Santo Tomas, 25-19, 25-16, 22-25, 25-19, in the UAAP women’s volleyball stepladder semifinals Saturday at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Fille Cainglet and Alyssa Valdez dropped 22 points apiece while Dzi Gervacio added 11 hits as Ateneo entered the finals for the first-time since entering the league in 1978.

The Lady Eagles seek to end a long title drought.  The Katipunan-based spikers last won a championship in 1976 while playing for the NCAA under coach Pitong Custodio.

“It has been a long time na naka-finals ang Ateneo and ito ang first time na nakapasok ang school sa UAAP championship,” said coach Roger Gorayeb.

The Tigresses failed to sustain their impressive third set performance to put a disappointing end to coach Odjie Mamon’s first season.

“Ito na ang bunga ng sa apat na taon ko sa Ateneo,” said Gorayeb, who was instrumental in making San Sebastian College as the most successful women’s volleyball program in the NCAA.

“Ang time table ko eh next year na magpa-finals.  Pero mahirap i-pressure ang mga bata. Since nandito lang kami, sana tuloy-tuloy na,” he added.

The women’s championship starts on Wednesday, where the Lady Archers hold a ‘thrice-to-beat’ advantage for sweeping all their 14 matches in the eliminations.

In the men’s division, defending champion UST booked its fifth consecutive finals appearance by downing Adamson, 20-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-12.

Mark Gil Alfafara fired 17 hits, including two service aces, while Christian Arbasto and Romnick Rico added 15 hits apiece for the Growling Tigers.

In the best-of-three finals, UST will face the winner of the ‘do or die’ match between top seed Far Eastern University and fourth-ranked La Salle on Wednesday.

Maika Ortiz unloaded 22 points while Maru Banaticla added 12 hits and eight digs for the Tigresses.

Open spiker Judy Caballejo was a not factor for UST, as she was limited to six hits.

Tigers mentor Emil Lontoc was very happy on the way his troops performed as of late despite some disappointments early in the tournament.

“Malaki ang tiwala sa team kahit maraming bago sa starting six ko dahil kaya nilang umabot ng finals,” said Lontoc.

Ron Jay Galang had 15 hits, including two service aces, while Armando Maleon added 12 points for the Falcons.  (TJ)

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas passed the first major test in its bid to return to the finals of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament.

The Tigresses showed toughness in the crucial stretch of the fourth set to oust Far Eastern University, 25-22, 23-25, 25-17, 25-21, at the start of the stepladder semifinals Wednesday at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Third-ranked UST will next face second seed Ateneo in the second stepladder match on Saturday, where the Tigresses must hurdle the Lady Eagles’ ‘twice-to-beat’ advantage to advance to the championship round for the third straight year.

Waiting in the wings is defending champion La Salle, which copped the outright finals berth after sweeping all of its 14 elimination round matches.

“Gusto talagang manalo ng mga bata,” said UST coach Odjie Mamon.

The Lady Tamaraws last led, 19-15, when Tigresses clustered five straight points punctuated by a Maika Ortiz block to regain the upperhand at 20-19.

A service error by Maru Banaticla allowed FEU to tie the match for the last time, 21-21, when UST delivered a strong finishing kick, highlighted by a killer running spike by Ortiz to break the standoff.

Banaticla registered 18 hits and 14 digs, while Ortiz contributed 15 points for the Tigresses.

Rosemarie Vargas shone for the second straight game with 18 hits, including two service aces, while Wenneth Eulalio chipped in 15 points, including two blocks, for the Lady Tamaraws.

In its return to the semifinals after a two-year absence, FEU showed a different kind of intensity, but UST delivered the killer blows when it mattered.

“Bilib ako sa libero (Christine Agno) at setter (Gyzelle Sy) nila (Lady Tamaraws),” said Mamon, who is on his first season manning the fort for the Tigresses.

Meanwhile, fourth-ranked La Salle stunned top seed FEU, 25-18, 14-25, 25-23, 25-20, to send their men’s ‘Final Four’ duel to a decider.

Myco Antonio fired 16 points, while Philip Cerveza scored five of his nine points from blocks for the Green Archers to keep their finals aspirations alive.

The loss negated JR Labrador’s game-high 25 points, including five service aces, for the Tamaraws.

The ‘rubber match’ is set on Wednesday. (TJ)

THE long grind to face unbeaten La Salle in the finals starts Wednesday, with third seed University of Santo Tomas and fourth-ranked Far Eastern University colliding in the first stepladder semis match of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament.

The Tigresses and the Lady Tamaraws face off in their ‘do or die’ match at 2 p.m. at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The winner of the UST-FEU match will take on Ateneo in the second stepladder match on Saturday.

By finishing second in the eliminations, the Lady Eagles have the luxury of the ‘twice-to-beat’ bonus.

The back-to-back seeking Lady Archers booked an outright entry in the championship round with a ‘thrice-to-beat’ incentive after sweeping all of their 14 assignments in the elims.

Despite the long road to the finals, coach Odjie Mamon remains confident that the Tigresses will make it for the third straight season.

“We may need to win six games to win championship.  Pero we are still keeping the faith,” said Mamon.

With its season on the line, UST will bank on the offensive firepower of Maru Banaticla, Maika Ortiz and Judy Caballejo.

It was a big achievement for the Lady Tamaraws to advance to the semis after a two-year absence despite losing Maica Morada and Mayjorie Roxas along the way.

FEU ousted Adamson, 25-19, 25-17, 26-24, in their ‘sudden death’ playoff for the No. 4 spot last Monday, with Rosemarie Vargas dropping 19 points.

The Tigresses won in the first round, 25-19, 21-25, 22-25, 25-16, 15-13, before the Lady Tamaraws evened up their head-to-head with a 23-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-23 triumph in the second round.

Meanwhile, top seed FEU and No. 4 La Salle collide in the start of the men’s ‘Final Four’ at 10 a.m.

Armed with a T‘twice-to-beat’ advantage, the Tamaraws need to beat the Green Archers only once to advance to the best-of-three championship series.

Tickets in the men’s and women’s semifinals matches starting today are sold separately. (TJ)

ROSEMARIE Vargas drilled in 19 points as Far Eastern University returned to the semifinals after a two-year absence with a 25-19, 25-17, 26-24 win over Adamson in their ‘do or die’ match Monday in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

With the Lady Falcons threatening to bring the match to another set, Vargas took charge by scoring four consecutive hits for the Lady Tamaraws to erase a two-point deficit and seize the lead, 21-19.

Adamson got a new lease of life when Toni Basas’ hit went wide to tie the game for the last time at 24-24, but Sheila Pineda and Pau Soriano committed two straight errors for FEU to clinch the win.

Vargas registered two blocks and five digs.

“Masaya ako at nagma-mature ang laro ni Vargas.  Natututo na siyang dumiskarte at malaki pa ang mai-improve niya,” said Lady Tamaraws coach Nes Pamilar.

FEU will take on third seed University of Santo Tomas in nthe first stepladder match tomorrow, where the winner will face No. 2 Ateneo in the second stepladder duel.

Defending champion La Salle has already advanced to the finals outright after completing a 14-game sweep of the eliminations.

“Sana magtuloy-tuloy na ang magandang ipinapakita namin.  Ibang usapan na itong semifinals,” said Pamilar.

After placing second to the Lady Archers in 2009, the Lady Tamaraws, who are the league’s most bemedalled team with 29 crowns, went on a downturn by missing the ‘Final Four’ in the next two seasons.

Pineda finished with 11 hits for the Lady Falcons, who were booted out in the playoffs for the first time since the ‘Final Four’ format in volleyball was instituted in the 2005 season.

Adamson sorely missed the services of setter Mae Macatuno for the second straight game due to a finger injury, where Theresa Piza struggled once more in setting up plays for her teammates. (TJ)

LA SALLE survived Ateneo, 18-25, 25-14, 21-25, 25-19, 15-7, and claim the outright championship berth Sunday in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament before a jampacked crowd at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Setter Mika Esperanza held her owned against Lady Eagles playmaker Jem Ferrer by giving 71 excellent sets to help the Lady Archers notch their 14th successive win.

Tthe Lady Archers, with Cruz on the firing end, coasted to a 14-5 lead in the deciding fifth frame.

EVERYTHING is all set for the return of the 15th Nestea Beach Volley circuit after a one-year hiatus.

At least 96 teams around the country will compete in the country’s premiere summer collegiate beach volleyball tournament which reels off this month.

The hunt for the new kings and queens of beach volleyball begins with the Mindanao leg which will be held on Feb. 23-24 at the Paradise Island in Samal Island.

2010 champions Central Philippines University (women) and Foundation University (men) start their respective title-retention campaigns in the Visayas qualifying which is set on March 9-11 at the HK Resort MoalBoal in Cebu.

The Luzon leg will be on March 21-23 at the FAITH School sand courts in Tanauan, Batangas, while the Metro Manila eliminations will be held at the same venue on March 25-27.

After the eliminations, the top 12 teams, three in each leg, will qualify in the national finals in Boracay scheduled on April 19-21.

The champions in each division will take home P100,000 prize.

“We will use the FIVB-modified double elimination format.  Walang team ang magiging twice-to-beat advantage,” said tournament commissioner Otie Camangian.

Also invited in the tournament are UAAP women’s and men’s champions University of Santo Tomas and Far Eastern University, as well as NCAA women’s and men’s titlists University of Perpetual Help System Dalta and Arellano University.

“This year’s Nestea Beach Volleyball tournament is even more exciting as there are five legs in the competition, which gives more players from the provinces an opportunity to take part of this event,” said Nestea marketing promotions and events executive Jose Manuel Santos. (TJ)

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas outplayed Adamson, 25-22, 25-21, 25-8, and claim the third semifinals slot Saturday in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament.

THE mighty La Salle Lady Archers inched closer in claiming the outright championship berth by downing National University, 25-16, 25-11, 25-18, in the UAAP women’s volleyball competitions Wednesday at the Filoil Flying V Arena sa San Juan.
     Abigail Maraño had 15 hits, including two blocks, while rookie Ara Galang and Michelle Gumabao added 12 hits apiece for La Salle.

     Ateneo recorded its best elimination round record in 33 seasons in the league with a 25-8, 25-23, 25-18 dumping of University of the Philippines in the opening match.

     The Lady Eagles are now setting their eyes on stopping the Lady Archers’ bid for a rare sweep in the last day of eliminations on Sunday.

     “We will try our best to stop yung swep ng La Salle. Mahirap kasi na magkaroon ka ng thrice-to-beat na disadvantage sa finals,” said Ateneo coach Roger Gorayeb.

     “Hopefully lahat ng mga players ko pumutok sa Sunday,” he added.

     The Lady Eagles toyed around the Lady Maroons in the opening frame before coasting along in the next two sets to notch their 11th win in 13 assignments.

     Fille Cainglet fired 13 points while Dzi Gervacio added 12 hits for Ateneo.

     Gorayeb used Alyssa Valdez as substitute and finished with four hits, while Gretchen Ho missed her second straight game due to injury.

     Ho, who is a vital cog in the middle for the Lady Eagles, is expected to play against the Lady Archers on Sunday.

     La Salle hopes to complete its first double-round elimination sweep since 2004 season with a star-studded line-up led Maureen Penetrante, Manilla Santos, Desiree Hernandez, Chie Saet and She Penano, where the Taft-based spikers were then outright champions.

     “Halos lahat ng team nag-aambisyon na makagawa ng 14-0 record dahil nandoon ang advantage.  Para makuha mo ito, kailangang paghirapan mo,” said Lady Archers mentor Ramil de Jesus.

     Cai Nepomuceno collected nine hits for the Lady Bulldogs.

     Angeli Araneta, Joyce Palad and Pau Genido registered seven hits for UP.

     The Lady Bulldogs fell to 1-12 mark, while the Lady Maroons are still winless in 13 matches.

     In the men’s division, Jayson Ramos fired 12 hits as five-peat seeking University of Santo Tomas (10-3) moved closer in claiming the second ‘twice-to-beat’ slot in the semifinals by downing Ateneo (1-12), 25-20, 25-21, 25-14.

     Adamson (9-4), paced by Armando Maleon with 18 points, clinched the third ‘Final Four’ berth by booting UP (6-7) out of contention with a 27-25, 19-25, 25-19, 18-25, 15-6 victory.  (TJ)