The defending UAAP Women’s Volleyball champion Ateneo Lady Eagles forces a winner-take-all Game 3 against the De La Salle Lady Spikers after an exciting Game 2 on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. The La Salle vs. Ateneo Game 2 of the UAAP Women’s Volleyball ended the game and forced a Game 3 finals series of the country’s top two volleyball teams.
La Salle took the first two sets against Ateneo by scoring 25-18 and 28-26 but the defending champion Lady Eagles battled back, taking the next two sets, 25-17 and 25-16. The Ateneo Lady Eagles took the deciding set 15-11 through the leadership of the UAAP’s MVP Alyssa Valdez.
With the Lady Eagles victory, the team kept their three-peat dreams alive while their arch-rival in the UAAP La Salle, is trying to end a two-year drought after registering their own three-peat from Season 73 to 75.
La Salle raced to an early lead in the first set, overwhelming Ateneo 20-13. The Lady Eagles then went on a 5-3 run, forcing La Salle to call for time. But in the end, DLSU’s five aces and Ateneo’s six errors spelled the difference, as the Lady Spikers took Set 1, 25-18.
In the second, La Salle played catch up for most of the set, while Ateneo rolled to a 24-20 edge. Great play from Mika Reyes, coupled with errors from the Lady Eagles tied the game, as La Salle came up big to steal Set 2, 28-26.
During the thrilling set three, the Lady Eagles took control of the game and smothered La Salle on offense, tallying an impressive 15 kills to the Lady Spikers’ only eight.
The momentum of the Lady Eagles continued until the fourth set, edging the determined Lady Spikers in offense to cruise to a 25-16 win. Before the deciding Game 2 of the Women’s Volleyball Finals, Ateneo’s Alyssa Valdez was awarded with the Most Valuable Player (MVP).
