That “Grudge” Match That They Had to Win
Ateneo vs. UP
25-23, 25-22, 25-11
by rick olivares
Ateneo vs. UP
25-23, 25-22, 25-11
by rick olivares
There was pressure to play UP their record notwithstanding. Despite the lofty positions of DLSU and FEU with respective 4-0 and 3-1 slates, the race to the UAAP Women’s Volleyball Championship is wide open and the Ateneo Lady Spikers are an intriguing mix to the competition.
How many times have you heard it’s a young team that plays tall in spite of that fact and yet at the change of courts, suddenly plays like every bit their age?
How much fun is it to watch a team you want to badly to win?
Playing five-setters is a test of character but it’s also courting disaster. You know what they say when a competition goes to its ultimate game… anything can happen.
Of course, the UP Lady Maroons are not going to keel over and give a game away. Not only are they taller but there’s added incentive for both teams to win because of their coach. Or in the case of the Ateneo Lady Spikers… ex-coach.
Although the Ateneo women’s team made the Final Four last season, their off-season was marred by a less than amicable parting with Coach Ronald Dulay who departed for UP while trying to tag along the heralded batch of freshmen recruits. And prior to Dulay moving to Loyola Heights for the head coaching position, San Sebastian’s Roger Gorayeb was also considered for the position. Now the two friends were in an odd position of trying to win one over the other with either one not wanting to lose.
"We," thought Ateneo Captain Bea Pascual before the game, "have to take this game and not go to another five set match."
And as is the case whenever Ateneo and UP face one another, whatever their position in the standings are no quarter is going to be given.
Which explains why Ateneo wasn’t having an easy time against their counterparts.
The first set was a battle on equal terms but UP forged a 23-all tie. A crucial side out was earned by Ateneo before they put away their foes 25-23.
In the second set, it was the same trend until the Lady Eagles broke from a 12-all tie behind a kill by Angeline Gervacio and back-to-back blocks by Gretchen Ho on UP’s Rebecca Montero for a three-point lead. But the Lady Maroons would not go away and creeped back in 21-20 after Amanda Isada scored on an ace.
Pascual gave her side possession after UP misplayed her spike then rookie Fille Cainglet added an ace of her own to inch closer to a two sets lead.
When a Gervacio spike checked out off Sheila Salaysal, the Lady Maroons not only lost the second set 25-22 but had the wind knocked out of their sails in the final third as Ateneo played better defense to complete their first three-setter of the tournament 25-11.
After the match, Dulay quickly ducked out as Gorayeb heaved a sigh of relief. With NU the remaining team on the 2008 schedule, the Ateneo team can possibly finish at 3-2 and properly prepare for La Salle and UST come the New Year. “Ang importante masaya din yung mga bata,” he declared. “Paginisip mo, kung may nakuha man kami na kahit isang laro nung laban sa Adamson o sa FEU mas maganda ang katayuan natin. But makakarating din tayo diyan.”
How many times have you heard it’s a young team that plays tall in spite of that fact and yet at the change of courts, suddenly plays like every bit their age?
How much fun is it to watch a team you want to badly to win?
Playing five-setters is a test of character but it’s also courting disaster. You know what they say when a competition goes to its ultimate game… anything can happen.
Of course, the UP Lady Maroons are not going to keel over and give a game away. Not only are they taller but there’s added incentive for both teams to win because of their coach. Or in the case of the Ateneo Lady Spikers… ex-coach.
Although the Ateneo women’s team made the Final Four last season, their off-season was marred by a less than amicable parting with Coach Ronald Dulay who departed for UP while trying to tag along the heralded batch of freshmen recruits. And prior to Dulay moving to Loyola Heights for the head coaching position, San Sebastian’s Roger Gorayeb was also considered for the position. Now the two friends were in an odd position of trying to win one over the other with either one not wanting to lose.
"We," thought Ateneo Captain Bea Pascual before the game, "have to take this game and not go to another five set match."
And as is the case whenever Ateneo and UP face one another, whatever their position in the standings are no quarter is going to be given.
Which explains why Ateneo wasn’t having an easy time against their counterparts.
The first set was a battle on equal terms but UP forged a 23-all tie. A crucial side out was earned by Ateneo before they put away their foes 25-23.
In the second set, it was the same trend until the Lady Eagles broke from a 12-all tie behind a kill by Angeline Gervacio and back-to-back blocks by Gretchen Ho on UP’s Rebecca Montero for a three-point lead. But the Lady Maroons would not go away and creeped back in 21-20 after Amanda Isada scored on an ace.
Pascual gave her side possession after UP misplayed her spike then rookie Fille Cainglet added an ace of her own to inch closer to a two sets lead.
When a Gervacio spike checked out off Sheila Salaysal, the Lady Maroons not only lost the second set 25-22 but had the wind knocked out of their sails in the final third as Ateneo played better defense to complete their first three-setter of the tournament 25-11.
After the match, Dulay quickly ducked out as Gorayeb heaved a sigh of relief. With NU the remaining team on the 2008 schedule, the Ateneo team can possibly finish at 3-2 and properly prepare for La Salle and UST come the New Year. “Ang importante masaya din yung mga bata,” he declared. “Paginisip mo, kung may nakuha man kami na kahit isang laro nung laban sa Adamson o sa FEU mas maganda ang katayuan natin. But makakarating din tayo diyan.”
No comments:
Post a Comment