Queens of Volleyball. (c) Fabilioh
Exactly two weeks back I wrote about a quick story of
underdogs in sports with the Ateneo Lady Eagles volleyball team of the local
collegiate league UAAP at the top of my mind. And here we are, 14 days and 4 grueling
championship games later, their unlikely trek to the top of the volleyball
mountain is complete and have finally claimed the elusive title for the first
time in school history.
Now the reason why I’m making a huge fuss about this on my
column is because sports is a big part of my life (as does with every other guy
in the world), and that this women’s volleyball team has almost had my entire
attention over the course of the last 4 months, along with my Spurs basketball
team and even more than my studies (advantage of not having a major subject for
this current term).
Back to the story, this Ateneo team hasn’t had the odds in
their favor all season. A team that is young and supposedly in rebuilding mode,
these ladies have managed to surprise everyone beginning with their
back-to-back upset victories of the number 2 team in NU during the step-ladder
final four before setting up a clash with rivals De La Salle, a three-time
consecutive champion who also had a thrice-to-beat advantage in the Finals.
Facing a daunting task of trying to beat the Archers thrice
in the series compared to just only two for the latter, the Lady Eagles
immediately erased whatever advantage La Salle had by winning Game 1, ending a
mammoth 30-game winning streak for the Green side while Ateneo won its 8th consecutive. The Archers exacted revenge though in Game 2, turning the tables
around by also winning in 4 sets and placing the Lady Eagles in a dire win or
go home situation for the rest of the finals series.
Game 2 was unbearable not only with the defeat, but also
with apple of the eye Dennise Lazaro injuring her ankle in the 1st set.
Facing elimination for the 4th time in the
playoffs in Game 3, Ateneo took charge winning the first two sets, this not
only putting an end to the MOA Arena curse but also are on pace to extend the
series. Yet La Salle would not go away as they dominated the next 2 sets
forcing a deciding 5th set. In the last set, the Archers continued to ride on their
momentum leading 12-8 in the crucial stages. But just like what they’ve been
doing all season long the Lady Eagles fought back, outscoring the Archers 6-1
setting up match point at 14-13. La Salle showed their championship poise
scoring the next two for championship point 15-14 before MVP Alyssa Valdez went
for 2 consecutive kills followed with an error on the La Salle side which ended
a thrilling match at 17-15 and a 3 sets to 2 win for the Blue to stay alive.
In the deciding 4th game, the Lady Eagles went
off on a strong start, though needed a late rally for a 25-23 set 1 win. La
Salle then went guns a blazing in set 2 leading by as much as 7 and a 24-21
lead in the latter stages. But Ateneo kept its composure and once again
completed another improbable comeback, winning set 2 with a score of 26-24. 3rd set began tick for tack with neither team leading by more than a point. The
Lady Eagles, not looking forward to a similar fate in Game 3, pulled away in
the middle stages for a 19-11 lead and then held off a late scare from the
Archers winning in straight sets 25-21 and the championship to the delight of
the blue-laden crowd.
It was indeed one amazing journey for the Ateneo
Lady Eagles. They defied the odds and surpassed everybody’s expectations, even
their own. It is bitter-sweet though, thinking this success could have happened
a year earlier with Fille Cainglet and the rest of the Fab 5 still around. I
guess this is what happy, heart strong, meditation and coach Bundit’s dancing
can really do.
(c) www.fullcourtfresh.com
Congratulations again for a splendid campaign, ladies! And note
to Den, please return for your final year, not that there’s any doubt but there’s
no harm in trying to be sure. :>
-Bli
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