http://www.ateneo.edu/index.php?p=120&type=2&sec=27&aid=6420
Heartsong
by rick olivares
Ateneo vs. UP
25-19, 26-28, 22-25, 25-19, 10-15
Heartsong
by rick olivares
Ateneo vs. UP
25-19, 26-28, 22-25, 25-19, 10-15
February 18, 2009
The Arena
Since the summer, Ateneo and UP played three epic matches that went all the way. The Diliman squad held the 2-1 edge in the head-to-head match-ups and in UAAP play, they wanted the rubber match.
The game had two implications – one was to win the third seed so they could play La Salle, the “lighter” second seed as opposed to facing undefeated UST that was going for a second straight title. That was tantamount to something like a peewee league team going up against a pro team. The second was all about pride. It’s no secret that the two teams do not like each other and handshaking and the post-game gestures of sportsmanship are only for show. It’s pride.
And making the Final Four after being a sixth place squad last year; there was a look of joy – you can even say that they were positively giddy -- on the Ateneo team as they went about their pre-game warm-ups. There was none of the tentativeness that wrapped itself around the team when they sputtered in the second round.
In their final match of the second round – a three game sweep at the hands of UST – it was more of a let’s-get-this-over-with-so-we-can-concentrate-on-the-Final-Four look.
It’s a maddening Jekyll and Hyde attitude that has frustrated their Head Coach Oliver Almadro.
Yet as the team ran laps around the court, Almadro pronounced himself satisfied: “They’re ready.”
After their first round win against La Salle, this was their best performance yet as the team rallied from double-digit deficits, from a crushing misplay that would have given them a crucial two-sets-to-none lead and the unrelenting pressure from a UP squad that was as determined as them.
With powerful serves making it hard for UP’s receivers to properly set up a play, the Blue Spikers took free ball after free ball and turned them into points. Dictating the pace, they only let their Katipunan rivals taste the lead only once at 3-4 before taking control for a 25-19 first set win.
The set had come at a price. Setter Ed Ortega was once more plagued with early cramps forcing Ateneo Coach Oliver Almadro to send in Rey Africa earlier. Maroons Coach Vip Isada noted the smaller frontline and concentrated on blocking Timmy Sto. Tomas and Duane Teves. The tactic worked as UP raced to an early 7-0 lead and later at 15-5 seemed headed for a blowout second set to even matters up.
Only the Blue Spikers weren’t going down easy without a fight. They gave UP a dose of its own medicine with superb blocking at the net with JR Intal and team captain AJ Pareja slamming the door shut on the Maroons’ Dominic Lucindo and JP Martinez.
On the offensive side, it was all hands on deck as every Atenean on the court chipped in points during the incredible rally to notch it at 24-all and taking a one point lead.
A service error by Teves and a misplay by Ortega and Intal gave the momentum back to UP as they tied the match at a set apiece 28-26.
This was perhaps the turning point because as in the Ateneo Women’s Team’s five set loss to La Salle that ended their Final Four aspirations, UP had no more answer for their Loyola Heights counterparts and they got the breaks from a pair of errors.
Pareja gathered his team before the breather between sets and urged them to shrug off the second set loss and get back in the game.
Displaying tremendous focus, the Blue Spikers once more fought back from a seven point deficit at 9-16 to come close at 21-22, but the Maroons’ LA Belgado helped his side close out the third set with a kill and an emphatic spike for a 25-22 win to go up 2-1.
Both sides had been here before and they knew that no quarter would be given. Ateneo flashed its first set form by being aggressive from the start to put the Maroons back on their heels with as they sent the game into another cardiac fifth set 25-19.
Buoyed by their stirring resolve in such a high pressure match and the first men’s game televised all year long, Ateneo somewhat took the sting out of UP when they blocked Michael Jordan Arda twice at the net for points and a thunderous Sto. Tomas spike that gave him a facial.
The Ateneo captain dropped a shot in front of Arda that tied the match at 10-all but that was the team’s last gasp as they fell afoul of three hitting errors for side outs that carried UP to a 15-10 victory. The Maroons had the third seed that meant avoiding UST at the start of the official Final Four match-ups.
Inside a disconsolate locker room, Almadro praised the team for their heart and courage. The first year coach then graciously turned over the inspirational talk to the former team coach Louie Gepuela who acknowledged that the team had nothing to be ashamed about and if they bring this game in their Saturday match-up with UST then there would be no telling what they can accomplish.
The game while a battling for placement was also of pride, but the latter is exactly the downfall of many a team. A true champion must be willing to beat the best and the road to any title must go through España.
Ateneo:
Timmy Sto. Tomas 26 points
AJ Pareja 18 points
Duane Teves 15 points
JR Intal 15 points
Xavier Señoren 13 points
Ed Ortega 1 point
UP:
JP Martinez 20 points
Michael Jordan Arda 15 points
Mark Sagad 12 points
Dominic Lucindo 10 points
LA Belgado 8 points
Gerald Magtoto 4 points
Giancarlo Ramos 3 points
LA Aguilan 1 point
The game had two implications – one was to win the third seed so they could play La Salle, the “lighter” second seed as opposed to facing undefeated UST that was going for a second straight title. That was tantamount to something like a peewee league team going up against a pro team. The second was all about pride. It’s no secret that the two teams do not like each other and handshaking and the post-game gestures of sportsmanship are only for show. It’s pride.
And making the Final Four after being a sixth place squad last year; there was a look of joy – you can even say that they were positively giddy -- on the Ateneo team as they went about their pre-game warm-ups. There was none of the tentativeness that wrapped itself around the team when they sputtered in the second round.
In their final match of the second round – a three game sweep at the hands of UST – it was more of a let’s-get-this-over-with-so-we-can-concentrate-on-the-Final-Four look.
It’s a maddening Jekyll and Hyde attitude that has frustrated their Head Coach Oliver Almadro.
Yet as the team ran laps around the court, Almadro pronounced himself satisfied: “They’re ready.”
After their first round win against La Salle, this was their best performance yet as the team rallied from double-digit deficits, from a crushing misplay that would have given them a crucial two-sets-to-none lead and the unrelenting pressure from a UP squad that was as determined as them.
With powerful serves making it hard for UP’s receivers to properly set up a play, the Blue Spikers took free ball after free ball and turned them into points. Dictating the pace, they only let their Katipunan rivals taste the lead only once at 3-4 before taking control for a 25-19 first set win.
The set had come at a price. Setter Ed Ortega was once more plagued with early cramps forcing Ateneo Coach Oliver Almadro to send in Rey Africa earlier. Maroons Coach Vip Isada noted the smaller frontline and concentrated on blocking Timmy Sto. Tomas and Duane Teves. The tactic worked as UP raced to an early 7-0 lead and later at 15-5 seemed headed for a blowout second set to even matters up.
Only the Blue Spikers weren’t going down easy without a fight. They gave UP a dose of its own medicine with superb blocking at the net with JR Intal and team captain AJ Pareja slamming the door shut on the Maroons’ Dominic Lucindo and JP Martinez.
On the offensive side, it was all hands on deck as every Atenean on the court chipped in points during the incredible rally to notch it at 24-all and taking a one point lead.
A service error by Teves and a misplay by Ortega and Intal gave the momentum back to UP as they tied the match at a set apiece 28-26.
This was perhaps the turning point because as in the Ateneo Women’s Team’s five set loss to La Salle that ended their Final Four aspirations, UP had no more answer for their Loyola Heights counterparts and they got the breaks from a pair of errors.
Pareja gathered his team before the breather between sets and urged them to shrug off the second set loss and get back in the game.
Displaying tremendous focus, the Blue Spikers once more fought back from a seven point deficit at 9-16 to come close at 21-22, but the Maroons’ LA Belgado helped his side close out the third set with a kill and an emphatic spike for a 25-22 win to go up 2-1.
Both sides had been here before and they knew that no quarter would be given. Ateneo flashed its first set form by being aggressive from the start to put the Maroons back on their heels with as they sent the game into another cardiac fifth set 25-19.
Buoyed by their stirring resolve in such a high pressure match and the first men’s game televised all year long, Ateneo somewhat took the sting out of UP when they blocked Michael Jordan Arda twice at the net for points and a thunderous Sto. Tomas spike that gave him a facial.
The Ateneo captain dropped a shot in front of Arda that tied the match at 10-all but that was the team’s last gasp as they fell afoul of three hitting errors for side outs that carried UP to a 15-10 victory. The Maroons had the third seed that meant avoiding UST at the start of the official Final Four match-ups.
Inside a disconsolate locker room, Almadro praised the team for their heart and courage. The first year coach then graciously turned over the inspirational talk to the former team coach Louie Gepuela who acknowledged that the team had nothing to be ashamed about and if they bring this game in their Saturday match-up with UST then there would be no telling what they can accomplish.
The game while a battling for placement was also of pride, but the latter is exactly the downfall of many a team. A true champion must be willing to beat the best and the road to any title must go through España.
Ateneo:
Timmy Sto. Tomas 26 points
AJ Pareja 18 points
Duane Teves 15 points
JR Intal 15 points
Xavier Señoren 13 points
Ed Ortega 1 point
UP:
JP Martinez 20 points
Michael Jordan Arda 15 points
Mark Sagad 12 points
Dominic Lucindo 10 points
LA Belgado 8 points
Gerald Magtoto 4 points
Giancarlo Ramos 3 points
LA Aguilan 1 point
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