MANILA: Ateneo de Manila University downed University of the East, 25-17, 23-25, 25-19, 25-20, on Sunday to boost its semifinal campaign in the UAAP Season 86 men’s volleyball tournament at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Kennedy Batas had 25 points and eight digs for the Blue Eagles, who improved to 6-6 for fifth place behind Far Eastern University (10-1), National University (9-2), De La Salle University (7-3) and University of Santo Tomas (7-5).
Only FEU and NU have secured Final Four seats.
Ateneo’s last two games will be against La Salle (April 21) and Adamson University (April 24) while UST will face UE on April 21 and La Salle on April 27.
‘I reminded the players that we are being given the chance, so we need to work hard for it. We can’t just wait for it to be served to us on a silver platter,” Ateneo coach Timmy Sto. Tomas said after the one hour and 57-minute match.
Angelo Reyes and Steven Aligayon scored 12 points each for UE, which absorbed its 10th loss against one win.
Meanwhile, FEU pul
led off a 19-25, 25-19, 21-25, 25-20, 15-10 victory over UST to complete the semifinal cast in the women’s division.
Faida Bakanke had 15 attacks, four blocks and two aces, while Jean Asis added 13 spikes, two blocks, and an ace for the Lady Tamaraws, who collected their seventh win in 11 outings to join UST (10-2), La Salle (9-1) and NU (9-2) in the next round.
In the semis, FEU will meet anew twice-to-beat UST.
‘Napakasarap ng feeling kasi ‘yun ngang glory days ng FEU ay parang pilit naming ibinabalik at ngayon nandito na kami sa (It’s a very good feeling because it’s like we’re trying to bring back those glory days of FEU and now we’re here in the) Final Four,’ FEU coach Manolo Refugia said.
‘Masaya pero hindi pa natatapos ‘yung trabaho. Nandito na rin kami, eh di mangarap na kami ng sobra-sobra pa (Happy but the work is not finished yet. Since we are already here, we can dream much more),” he added.
Angge Poyos finished with 20 points, while Regina Jurado and Jonna Perdido added 15 and 12 points, res
pectively for UST.
Source: Philippines News Agency