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ATENEO
pulled off one of the most stirring comebacks in
Shakey’s V-League history, fending off three match
points to turn back Lyceum, 18-25, 20-25, 27-25, 25-20,
15-9, and barge into the finals of Season 5 before a
roaring Sunday crowd at The Arena in San Juan Sunday.
The Lady
Eagles refused to give up after dropping the first two
sets and falling back at 19-22 in the third set,
pouncing on the Pirates’ three straight errors to draw
level before taking five of the next eight points to
snatch the win and live another set.
The
Loyola-based spikers fell behind again at 15-17 in the
fourth but never got discouraged, turning a Dahlia Cruz
error into a six-point splurge to regain control en
route to forcing a deciding set.
Ateneo
then rode on the momentum of its scrambling wins,
cashing in on an early error by Beverly Boto to gain a
5-2 lead although the Pirates kept the game close at
7-9.
But Jane
Jarin made two errors and Carmina Acevedo came through
with a crucial block off Cruz and the Lady Eagles took
the next three points to post a 12-7 lead before
fighting off the Pirates’ fightbacks to complete the
come-from-behind victory, in the first of two knockout
matches for the finals in the league sponsored by
Shakey’s Pizza and organized by Sports Vision.
“They
played a bit tight in the first two sets, that’s why I
told them to just play their game,” said Ateneo coach
Michelle Laborte after the energy-sapping two-hour
victory. “But it’s pure hard work and teamwork that
carried us through.”
The
Eagles will play the winner of the San Sebastian-Adamson
duel in a best-of-three finale starting Tuesday. The
Lady Stags and the Falcons played for the other
championship slot late Sunday.
Thai
import Em-orn Phanusit came away with 26 points,
including 24 kills, for Ateneo while Acevedo stepped up
big time to churn out an 18-point production, she spiked
with seven blocks.
Ma.
Rosario Soriano chipped in 13 hits for a 16-point output
for the Eagles, who bucked an injury to Patricia Taganas
in the early going of the contest backed by Active White
skin whitening products, Mail and More, ICT Call Center,
100Plus Energy Drink, Mikasa and Accel.
Boto
delivered 23 points, Cruz had 19 while Jarin added 17
points for the Pirates, who were so impressive in the
first two sets and majority of the third until they
cracked up in the face of the Eagles’ mighty comeback.
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