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UAAP: Ateneo Blue Eagles believe they proved doubters wrong in Season 81

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/sports/05/07/20190507-ateneo.jpg"/><figcaption>Graduating Ateneo players Jasper Tan, John Rivera, Manuel Sumanguid, and Tony Koyfman. Arvin Lim, <a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/volleyball/photos">ABS-CBN Sports</a></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – After half a decade of dominance, Ateneo de Manila University entered the UAAP Season 81 men&#x27;s volleyball tournament with measured expectations.This, after the graduation of three key players – skipper Karl Baysa, five-time Best Setter Ish Polvorosa, and five-time MVP Marck Espejo. They also gained a new coach in Timmy Sto. Tomas, after Oliver Almadro took over the Ateneo women&#x27;s team.Even though they welcomed back towering spiker Tony Koyfman, it was clear that the Blue Eagles would go through an adjustment period in Season 81. For five seasons, they had been defined by the excellence of Espejo and Polvorosa, a stretch that saw them make the finals for five straight years and win three titles.&quot;During the start of the year, we were really doubting how our season will end up. At first, we were very iffy if aabot ba kami ng Final 4 or not,&quot; admitted Sto. Tomas.The team was aware that other people also had the same doubts about them.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/news/2019/05/06/dlsu-will-back-stronger-next-year-56513">READ: DLSU will be back stronger next year</a></li></ul>&quot;Maraming tao na nagda-doubt sa amin na parang hindi naman kami makaabot ng Final 4 dito sa UAAP kasi nga wala na si Marck saka si Ish,&quot; noted veteran spiker John Rivera. &quot;Yung departure kasi ni Marck and Ish, it&#x27;s a big factor for us since nawala ang MVP and then &#x27;yung Best Setter. And then, &#x27;yung journey namin before UAAP was hard,&quot; added Jasper Tan, a little-used player who was named the team&#x27;s new captain for Season 81.Those doubts grew and the questions became louder after they labored to a slow start in Season 81, losing two of their first three games including a five-set heartbreaker to University of Santo Tomas (UST).But the Blue Eagles rallied around each other, and they won 9 of their last 11 assignments, with their only two losses coming against defending champion National University. They also avenged their loss to UST and Far Eastern University (FEU) in the second round.They finished with a 10-4, good enough to secure the third seed in the Final 4.For the Blue Eagles, making the semifinals was their way of answering all the questions that hounded them since the graduation of Polvorosa and Espejo.&quot;People doubted us kasi si Marck at Ish nga nawala. But we&#x27;re thankful rin na may mga taong ganoon. Parang na-build up ang confidence namin na ah, kailangan namin mag-trabaho this year and we need to step up as seniors,&quot; said libero Manuel Sumanguid.&quot;Everyone contributed kada game. &#x27;Yun talaga &#x27;yung pinaka naging malaking factor din para sa team,&quot; said Rivera. &quot;Tapos hindi lang din siya about the team eh, we&#x27;re family na rin kasi.&quot;&quot;We still managed to prove people wrong,&quot; stressed Koyfman, who led Ateneo in scoring with 211 points in Season 81.Ateneo&#x27;s rebuild will continue, as they will lose Koyfman, Tan, Rivera, and Sumanguid to graduation this year. &quot;Sobrang swerte ko kasi first year ko (as coach), I was gifted with players like Tony, Janjan, Jasper and Sumang, who are seasoned veterans already,&quot; Sto. Tomas said, as he paid tribute to his graduating players.&quot;Kahit first year coach ako, I have coaches inside the court na tutulong sa akin. Sabi ko na sobrang dumali yung trabaho ko dahil itong mga taong &#x27;to, kumbaga, they&#x27;ve learned a lot throughout their volleyball careers sa UAAP and other leagues,&quot; he added.&quot;So &#x27;yung mga natutunan nila, naipasa nila sa teammates nila, and they also helped me to become a coach na susundin, or a coach na magre-respond sila ng maayos.&quot;<div>For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.</div>

After half a decade of dominance, the Ateneo Blue Eagles entered the UAAP Season 81 men's volleyball tournament with measured expectations.

After half a decade of dominance, the Ateneo Blue Eagles entered the UAAP Season 81 men's volleyball tournament with measured expectations.

UAAP: Ateneo Blue Eagles believe they proved doubters wrong in Season 81

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UAAP: Ateneo Blue Eagles believe they proved doubters wrong in Season 81

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 07, 2019 04:53 PM PHT

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uaap season 81

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