Friday, November 20, 2009

Ateneo Women's Volleyball: Getting over the 5-set hump

Last UAAP season, the Ateneo Women’s Volleyball Team lost five five-setters. A win or two there and they would have made the Final Four. But the team was pretty much young as half the team were composed of veterans who didn’t see much playing time while the other half were rookies. The team made no bones about their regretting not pulling through in the clutch.

Cut to almost one year later, this time in the V-League. The Lady Spikers got the monkey off their back by beating Adamson the other week in a thrilling five set battle. They seemed poised to solving the Adamson problem (the San Marcelino team has owned them the last few years) as they won the first set before suffering a massive power failure that left them with a must-win situation heading into today versus long time nemesis UST.

As it was in the UAAP, Ateneo won the first two sets and seemed like they were going to sweep the Tigresses when Aiza Maizo arrived (late) right before the third set where she led her team to a spirited rally that saw them send the match to a fifth set.

Following an 11-all deadlock, Dzi Gervacio scored a point on a crucial block to give Ateneo the momentum on a four-point swing as they took the final set 15-11. They won 25-11, 25-18, 17-25, 19-25, 15-11 and another five-setter.

Gervacio scored a career-high (in the V-League) 23 points as teammates Fille Cainglet and Charo Soriano added 17 and 13 apiece.

Ateneo faces Far Eastern University this coming Sunday at the Arena at 4pm in a one-game playoff to slug it out for the fourth seed. FEU, Adamson, and Ateneo are all tied at the end of the eliminations with a 7-5 record but the Lady Falcons are assured of the 3rd see with a superior quotient.

The UST Lady Tigresses are at #1 with a 10-2 record followed by SSCR with a 8-4 record. Adamson is at #3 with a 7-5 slate.

Fille Cainglet and Dzi Gervacio are #5 and #9 in  the Top 10 Socrers.

Gervacio is #6 in the Best Spiker category.

Jem Ferrer is ranked #7 in Serving.

In the Best Digger category, Steph Gabriel is #2, Cainglet at #7, and Gervacio at #10.

Jem is the Best Setter thus far with Kara Acevedo bringing up the rear at #10.

In the Best Receiver category, Gabriel is at #2, Acevedo at #6, and Cainglet #8.

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