My thoughts about the
Ateneo-NU Women’s Volleyball Game on Opening Day
by rick olivares
The final score will show a three-set sweep (25-17,
25-22, 25-17) by the NU Lady Bulldogs over their Ateneo counterparts but as
always, it doesn’t always begin to tell the whole story. Not unless the scores
were by lopsided margins.
The Lady Eagles came into this game as massive
underdogs. How times have changed? The Lady Bulldogs have become top dogs while
the Lady Eagles are underdogs.
Obviously, Ateneo is without its graduated class of
last year that had carried them to two UAAP Finals slots and two V-League
championships.
Somehow, I am a bit reminded of that class of Fille
Cainglet, Jem Ferrer, Dzi Gervacio, Gretchen Ho, and A Nacachi with the rookies
of Michelle Morente, Ana Gopico, and Julia Morado.
Finally playing in a big game, the chemistry was
there in brief moments. Morado did her best impression of Ferrer and showing
that she wasn’t afraid to drop some shots behind NU’s massive frontline. She’ll
have to mix it up though with some combination plays if this team will want to
boogie with teams like La Salle.
Sometimes, Morado was bumping into Denden Lazaro
during receptions causing some problems with their attack. But the team should get better.
They were however fun to watch. There was an innate
joy to their game and I really could appreciate that. Love of the game. That’s
why you play this. And perhaps that comes playing with no pressure unlike the
Fab Five’s batch that was immediately expected to shore up a depowered Lady
Eagles that lost Charo Soriano, Patty Taganas and Karla Bello (and they gave a
good accounting of themselves as in their first year, they played in five
five-setters and should have won at least three of them).
At the start, you had Alyssa Valdez, Gopico, and Amy
Ahomiro putting in some shots with a point or tow provided by Marge Tejada. But
they were not able to sustain their attack as Gopico faltered. It’s a good
thing that Morente came up big too.
It was nice to see Bea Tan get some meaningful
playing time and chip in. Ditto with Denden Lazaro who was great in the first
two sets with her receptions and digging.
The lack of points from the middle had to hurt as
well. This is Tejada’s time to shine. First game of the new season, she should
get better as they go along now that they have that one game under their belt.
Aerieal Patnongon is still trying to recover that form from the V-League of two
years ago. She really has to double time on that.
Ateneo will have to take positives from this game
despite the three-set sweep but right now the onus is on team management to
surround Valdez with a few more weapons. It isn’t every day where we will land
a terrific talent like Air Valdez who is a game changer and a threat any day of
the week.
Having said all of that, the team should make the Final Four. Anything else beyond that is gravy.
Having said all of that, the team should make the Final Four. Anything else beyond that is gravy.
As for the NU Lady Bulldogs, the flow that they
showed in their V-League title run wasn’t there. That carried on even to the
Uni-Games. Guess that Rubie De Leon and even Jen Reyes were massive pieces to
that championship puzzle.
The Lady Bulldogs might have been overconfident or
were suffering too from first game jitters and obviously, we have not seen
their best.
Team captain Dindin Santiago led the way with 18
points but they didn’t get much from last year’s cast like Aiko Urdas or Myla
Pablo.
Jaja Santiago, in her UAAP debut, showed flashes of
potential. I know she’s still growing and learning but if she can harness that
athleticism like older sis, Dindin, watch out. Hammer time! It’s going to be
great to see her go against La Salle’s Mika Reyes.
But for Jaja to be effective as well, I’d like to
think that also relies on setter Ivy Perez’ game. If Perez can really direct
traffic and take charge that would catapult this team to the next level.
They’ve got firepower in this team all right. Like
Ateneo, they’re still feeling their way around.
Ateneo was a test for the Lady Bulldogs. La Salle
will be the test of their championship ambitions. I’d say that the second match
is where we should see a more relaxed team.
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