Rookie Faith Nisperos, Erika Raagas and Vanie Gandler led the Lady Eagles’ assault to reassert their mastery over their UAAP Season 81 championship victims to move a win away from a Finals berth.
Game 2 is on Wednesday.
“Nakapagpahinga naman kami, nagkaroon pa kami ng chance para makapag-prepare but I give it to the players, they really want it today,” said Ateneo coach Oliver Almadro. “Kumbaga parang, sabi ko nga, it's not about everything, anything else, it's about acknowledging what you can do.”
“And it's a learning, every day is a learning day, and you just have to acknowledge what you can do, and what you can contribute to the team,” he added. “Everybody contributed and may factor rin 'yung trust nila sa isa't isa.”
Nisperos finished with 19 points coming off 15 attacks, three aces and a kill block while adding 14 digs for an all-around performance for Ateneo, missed the services of Gaston and Roma Mae Doromal who are competing in the UAAP Season 82 beach volleyball tournament.
Raagas finished with 16 points, Gandler contributed 15 markers and eight excellent receptions while Jules Samonte had seven points for the Lady Eagles. Jaja Maraguinot tallied 21 excellent sets that helped Ateneo smash 53 hits while Dani Ravena got 30 digs and 15 excellent receptions to anchor the Lady Eagles’ floor defense.
Ateneo had a chance to salvage the second set after saving two set points to tie it at 24. Gandler committed a service error in the next play before Nisperos pushed the Lady Eagles at set point with back-to-back kills.
Eya Laure scored two straight points for UST before Raagas committed an attack error to surrender the frame to the Tigresses.
The Lady Eagles were quick to regroup as they buried UST under double-digit advantage in the third to turn the tables around before sustaining their momentum to hand the Tigresses its first loss in the tournament.
Laure had 14 points while EJ Laure got 11 for UST. The Laure sisters combined for 21 of the Tigresses’ 38 total spikes. Rookie Imee Hernandez ad Rachelle Roldan combined for 17 makers in a lost cause for the Espana-based squad.
SOURCE: https://sports.abs-cbn.com/pvl/news/2019/09/29/pvl-lady-eagles-draw-first-blood-semis-series-61538
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