Blue Eagles Ateneo celebrates a five-set win over Adamson in UAAP women’s volleyball. UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Faith Nisperos hits a career-high 31 as Ateneo bounces off Adamson, 24-26, 25-21, 25-19, 23-25, 19-17, for a solo fourth place in the UAAP Season 84 women’s volleyball tournament on Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.
Nisperos unleashed 26 strikes, four aces and one block to get past tough Adamson in a grueling two-hour and 56-minute match where both teams combined for a total of 82 fouls.
The Blue Eagles’ top scorer nailed an attack in the back row to put her team on match point, 14-12. But Trisha Genesis wanted the Lady Falcons back and even put Adamson on the match point twice, 16-15, before Vanie Gandler tied it, and regained the lead, 17-16.
However, Rizza Cruz fouled behind giving Ateneo the lead, 18-17, followed by a key miscommunication between the Lady Falcons that easily yielded victory to the Blue Eagles, who improved to 7-5 or fourth solo. place.
“I guess all my players have stepped up. We just have to play the right way. When we play tensely, we tend to make mistakes. Basically we have to have sound. We have to do well in everything we do,” said Ateneo coach Oliver Almadro.
“Nothing special, nothing spectacular. I just asked our players, since we started having doubts, but we are having faith and we are gaining our confidence. ”
Nisperos also had 22 excellent receptions. Vanie Gandler scored 14 kills for 15 points including 11 digs, while Erika Raagas added 14 as Ateneo won 4 of 5 games in the second round to boost his chances of reaching the Finals.
Setter Jaja Maraguinot delivered an excellent 24 sets, while libero Roma Doromal defended the floor with 29 excellent catches and 19 excellent touches.
Adamson dropped to 6-6 in fifth, making 42 errors in the game that put the equalizer attack and fourth-set return to waste.
Genesis raised the Lady Falcons with 16 points. Aliah Marce played her best game of the season with 15 points. Rizza Cruz and Lorene Toring each had 12 points, giving their team six, while Lucille Almonte converted from libero to spiker, scoring 10 points and losing 11 times.
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