Green Spikers fall short to Ateneo in thrilling VLeague Semifinals Game 1
Despite their valiant efforts, the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Spikers fell short to arch-rivals, the Ateneo de Manila University (Ateneo) Blue Eagles in intense extended sets, 23–25, 25–21, 22–25, 25–14, 11–15, earlier today at the Paco Arena. This loss marked Game 1 of their best-of-three V-League Collegiate Challenge Semifinal series.
The first set started with both teams exchanging points but even with JM Ronquillo’s line shot, Vince Maglinao’s strong hit, and unforced errors from the side of Ateneo, the Green Spikers failed to level the score. Before the first technical timeout (TTO), the Taft-based squad was disadvantaged by two, 6–8. After the break, Yoyong Mendoza and Joshua Rodriguez stepped up for the team to give La Salle a four-point run, 10–8, forcing the Katipunan-based squad to call for a timeout. Despite this advantage, La Salle was unable to maintain it as by the second TTO, the Blue Eagles were ahead by one, 15–16. From there, Maglinao, Ronquillo, and Mendoza started to collect points for DLSU. However, the collective efforts of the Green and White was not enough as Jian Salarzon brought Ateneo to set point and ended it with a cross-court kill, 23–25.
The match remained tightly contested, with neither side gaining a clear advantage before La Salle was able to turn this around. Ronquillo’s strong attack, Nathaniel Del Pilar’s drop ball, and Salarzon’s net touch, granted the Taft-based team a three-point lead, 12–9. La Salle was able to preserve this lead as the second TTO was called, 16–13, then further widened the gap as Noel Kampton and Mendoza got into the action, 19–15. An attack from Rodriguez sealed the second set for DLSU, four points ahead of the Blue and White, 25–21.
Momentum continued to be in the La Salle side at the start of the third set. Consecutive ball mishandlings by Ateneo allowed the Green Spikers to quickly establish an early 3–0 lead. Ateneo soon equalized via attack points from both Kennedy Batas and Salarzon and a block also from the latter. But still, the Green Spikers were ahead before the first TTO, 8–7. The neck-and-neck battle continued for both teams with Ateneo ending up ahead by one, 15–16, during the second TTO. Unfortunately, La Salle was unable to make a comeback as Amil Pacinio’s drop ball sealed the set win for the Blue Eagles, 21–25.
In the fourth set, both teams showed firm net defense, but DLSU took the lead first as Del Pilar, Kampton, Ronquillo, and Maglinao contributed points for the team. Ronquillo and Rodriguez’s block then sent the set to its first TTO with the Green and White ahead, 8–4. La Salle maintained this lead without relinquishing it, and by the second TTO, were ahead by a substantial margin of ten points, 16–6. The Green Spikers continued to dominate the fourth set, leaving Ateneo unable to equalize the score. A strong hit from Kampton secured the fourth set for the Taft-based team, 25–14, setting up a decisive fifth set.
The deciding set started with a point for the Blue Eagles, but Kampton’s attack quickly evened this out, 1-all. Ronquillo’s vigorous smash and Maglinao’s down-the-line hit earned points for the team, but the Blue and White maintained their lead at 4–7, prompting La Salle to call a timeout. Aiming to shift the momentum to the Green Spikers, Kampton stepped up and tied the score, 9–9. The Green and White then managed to take the lead as Ronquillo found an open area at the side of Ateneo, 10–9. However, these efforts were not enough for the Taft-based squad to take control of the game as Pacino and Salarzon soon wrapped up the match with their net defense, 11–15.
The Green Spikers aim to bounce back in Game 2 of the Semifinals as they take on the Ateneo Blue Eagles again, this Friday, September 22, 4 PM at the same venue.
