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UAAP volleyball: Ateneo toughs out 4-set win over La Salle

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/sports/03/04/ateneo-030417.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Michelle Morente and Ateneo had to battle back in the first two sets to come away with a 3-1 win over La Salle in UAAP women&#x27;s volleyball on Saturday. <cite>Richard Esguerra, ABS-CBN Sports </cite></div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — It was a battle that determined which team could play with composure down the stretch.On Saturday, Ateneo de Manila University showed a little more heart and grit than the defending champions.The Lady Eagles shocked the De La Salle University Lady Spikers, 26-24, 26-24, 21-25, 25-17, to secure solo leadership in the UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball tournament at Mall of Asia Arena.Ateneo pulled off come-from-behind efforts to take the first 2 sets. After dropping the 3rd, the Lady Eagles dominated the 4th to up their record to 6-1 and take the top spot in the team standings after the first round of eliminations. &quot;Siguro, first two sets, hindi lang bumitaw &#x27;yung players talaga. Gusto nila manalo,&quot; Ateneo assistant coach Sherwin Meneses said. &quot;Sana mag-continue sa second round and semis. Aangat pa &#x27;yung team.&quot;Michelle Morente paced Ateneo with a game-high 25 points, including 20 hits and three blocks, while Kat Tolentino contributed 18 points to lift the Lady Eagles in a rematch of last year&#x27;s finals.La Salle fell to second place with a 5-2 record.Ateneo was down by 4 late in the 1st, then rallied to level the set at 24-all after an error by La Salle and back-to-back spikes by Morente, who closed the set 26-24 with a dump ball.Down 23-18 in the 2nd frame, Ateneo clawed back by scoring 5 straight, capped by a Tolentino attack to knot the score at 23.Kim Fajardo put La Salle at set point with a well-placed top spin hit, but Ateneo responded with 3 unanswered points to take a 2-0 lead.&quot;We just kept going. With La Salle, you can’t let the score get to you. We just kept pushing,&quot; Bea de Leon said.La Salle bounced back in the 3rd with its own rally to regain the lead, 13-12, midway through the set, courtesy of Majoy Baron&#x27;s kill block.Ateneo threatened to frustrate La Salle again after a dump ball by setter Jia Morado cut the deficit to 22-21. But the Lady Eagles gave away two freebies that allowed the Lady Spikers to win the 3rd.In the 4th frame, the Lady Eagles uncorked a 10-2 spurt, highlighted by a couples of attacks from Jhoanna Maraguinot and Tolentino to build a 16-9 lead, an advantage they wouldn&#x27;t relinquish.After saving two match points, Lady Spiker Aduke Ogunsanya committed a service error that ended the match.Four Lady Spikers registered in double digits with Kim Dy, scoring 15, Baron with 14, Ogunsanya with 12 and Fajardo added 10. But Ateneo overpowered La Salle in spikes with 54-43 on top of the Lady Spikers&#x27; 31 errors. (For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com" target="_blank">Sports website.</a>)

Ateneo de Manila University defeated De La Salle University 26-24, 26-24, 21-25, 25-17 in UAAP women's volleyball at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Saturday.

Ateneo de Manila University defeated De La Salle University 26-24, 26-24, 21-25, 25-17 in UAAP women's volleyball at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Saturday.