Games Sunday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
9 a.m. – UE vs UP (men’s)
11 a.m. – NU vs FEU (men’s)
1 p.m. – UE vs UP (women’s)
3 p.m. – NU vs FEU (women’s)
By MARK REY MONTEJO
Ateneo continued its winning ways after downing Adamson,25-21, 19-25, 25-16, 25-17, in the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, March 29.
The win came after the Blue Eagles shrugged off their second-set hiccup to dominate the next two frames on their way to their third straight win that pushed them to third place in the standings at 6-3.
“Happy ako kasi kahit ilang sets pa yan basta panalo is panalo sa akin kasi talagang tinrabaho yan ng players,” said Ateneo head coach Vince Mangulabnan.
Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas overcame Noel Kampton’s career-high 30-point explosion for a 25-22, 25-22, 16-25, 25-22 win over La Salle in a performance that ended its three-game losing run.
Ken Batas took charge anew for Ateneo with his 20-point output built on 17 attacks, two blocks and one ace to go with seven excellent digs and 11 excellent receptions.
Jian Salarzon also dazzled after pouring in 19 points off 17 kills and two blocks with eight excellent digs and 13 excellent receptions. Lorenzo Gutierrez had 27 excellent sets for the Eagles, who hiked their record to 6-3.
Ateneo is the only other team aside from the league-leading Far Eastern University (9-0) which has won all its games in the second round.
Adamson, for its part, dropped to 2-7 – tied with University of the Philippines – at sixth despite Jude Aguilar’s 16-point effort.
The Golden Spikers expectedly went to Josh Ybañez, who alongside JJ Macam, spearheaded the team’s series of counters to frustrate the Green Spikers.
“We’re back sa win column and about doon sa errors namin, doon sa ending nahihirapan, nadi-distract to close out the game and ‘yon ‘yong inayos namin actually for the past week, and I think it was quite a success,” said UST head coach Odjie Mamon.
Two-time MVP Ybañez led UST’s assault after pumping in 21 points on 15 spikes and six aces along with four excellent digs and 16 excellent receptions.
Ed Colinares and Jay De La Noche produced 15 and 11 points, respectively, for UST, which hiked its record to 5-4 to draw level with La Salle.
Kampton, for his part, also tallied three excellent digs and 12 excellent receptions for the Taft-based squad. Vince Maglinao added eight points in a losing cause.
