Blue Eagles grab SSL playoff berth

Ateneo de Manila University clinched a seat to the next round after a quick work of Emilio Aguinaldo College, 25-12, 25-21, 25-12, in the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Jennifer delos Santos scored 10 points while Jihan Chuatico and rookie Alexia Montoro added seven each as the Blue Eagles won their second straight game for a 3-1 win-loss finish to join Pool A leader defending champion National University into the playoffs.

“They can expect us to be stronger and hopefully we will get through this next round with a sweep,” an optimistic Montoro said.

Ateneo will battle Far Eastern University, University of Santo Tomas and the second ranked team in Pool C for one of the two twice-to-beat quarterfinals advantages at stake in the next round-robin phase of the tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea and Summit Water.

The Lady Generals ended their campaign winless in four games.

In the first game, Lyceum of the Philippines University turned to veteran Johna Dolorito in the fourth set to spoil University of Perpetual Help System Dalta’s attempt to force a decider for a 25-18, 25-15, 18-25, 25-22, victory.

The wing spiker scored 10 of her 16 points in the fourth frame including four in the also-ran Lady Pirates’ closing 6-2 run to wrap their Pool B campaign on a high note for an even 2-2 card.

The Lady Altas threatened to extend the game to a decider after scoring three straight points capped by a Cyrille Almeniana kill block for a 20-19 lead.

Dolorito took over as she scored three straight points before Joan Doguna added a hit to put the Lady Pirates in front, 23-21. Almeniana smashed a crosscourt kill to stop Perpetual’s bleeding but Dolorito quickly answered with a hit before Janeth Tulang smashed an off-the-block hammer to end the match.

Doguna submitted 11 points while Tulang got all her 10 markers off attacks.

Perpetual remained winless in three starts despite the 19-point effort of Almeniana, who played through pain after spraining her right ankle late in the fourth set.