Blue Eagles end campaign on high note

It wasn’t the tournament result envisioned by Ateneo de Manila University for the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87.

But the Blue Eagles at least salvaged some semblance of pride after beating University of the East (UE), 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 27-25, to end their women’s volleyball stint on a positive note Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ateneo needed to dig deep in its bag of tricks to recover from a 16-22 deficit in the fourth set. The Blue Eagles saved three set points before completing the comeback.

Veterans AC Miner and team captain Lyann de Guzman led the charge with 13 points each for Ateneo. De Guzman also tallied 18 digs, and 17 excellent receptions.

“Of course, I had really high expectations this season, especially with Zel (Tsunashima), Sobe (Buena), and JLo (Delos Santos),” De Guzman said as she rued the injury bug that bit Ateneo hard this season.

“If they were able to play, our team would have been very different — we would have been really strong. But, well, we didn’t expect what happened. Still, I’m happy because we were still able to show that even though there are only a few of us, we continue to fight.”

Despite grappling with early injuries, the Katipunan-based squad managed to mirror last season’s five-win output, ending with a 5-9 record and narrowly missing the Final Four.

On the other side, UE concluded a difficult campaign, ending the season winless following a tumultuous year marked by a surprise offseason exodus and coaching changes.

“We’re proud of how the girls fought until the end,” Ateneo head coach Sergio Veloso said.

“It was not an easy season, but the commitment and teamwork they showed, especially today, is something to be proud of. We will work harder next year.”

In the men’s division, Ateneo mounted a rousing reverse sweep over UE, 18-25, 22-25, 26-24, 25-22, 15-12, to wrap up its season with a victory.

Amil Pacinio led the comeback with 18 points, supported by Kennedy Batas’ all-around brilliance of 17 points, 19 receptions, and six digs.

Jian Salarzon chipped in 16 points and 23 receptions, while Jettlee Gopio contributed 11 points, highlighted by four kill blocks.