Blue Eagles starting to find their groove with 1st UAAP Season 86 win

MANILA, Philippines – Following the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ first win in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament, everything's coming up roses for the Katipunan-based squad, opposite hitter Lyann de Guzman said. 

De Guzman led the way for Ateneo in coming back from a 0-2 deficit against the UP Fighting Maroons on Wednesday. 

She finished with 24 points, with 19 coming from attacks, four from blocks and a service ace. 

After the game, the 5-foot-10 de Guzman said that the win was “very helpful.” 

“This [win] is a really big confidence boost for us, and we all know we’re doing great in training,” she told reporters in Filipino after the 22-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-17, 15-9 win over UP. 

“We really can do it. We can show it in our game, as long as we follow the system of coach [Sergio Veloso] and do our job inside the court. We just have to do our role, each and every one of us,” she added. 

Sobe Buena, who had 18 points for the Blue Eagles against the Diliman-based squad, said that the team has already started to find its groove.

“We’re starting to become more confident inside the court and that’s really important, especially going into the next few games,” Buena said. 

“I think we’ll just keep training and keep doing our best inside the court and just keep doing, trusting each other and enjoy the game,” she added. 

Four Ateneo players finished in double digits against UP. 

Aside from de Guzman and Buena, Zel Tsunashima and AC Miner had 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Before the UP game, Ateneo came within a set from stunning last season’s runners-up National University Lady Bulldogs. 

They went up by a set, 2-1, before crumbling the rest of the way as they absorbed a five-set defeat on Saturday. 

“I can say that we have good consistency this game, and, just like coach said, we just need to keep playing and playing, even though we are down two sets because as long as we have a strong mind, we can do it,” de Guzman stressed. 

“In the end, we will hang on.” 

Ateneo will try to build on their momentum as it faces perennial rival and defending champion La Salle on Saturday, March 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.