Games today
(Filoil Flying V Arena)
10 a.m. - DLSU vs FEU (men semis)
2 p.m. - DLSU vs ADMU (women finals)

ATENEO may have the height disadvantage, but the Lady Eagles proved  they can slug it out with powerhouse La Salle.

“Skills-wise, meron kami sa opensa at depensa.  Talagang ang malaking advantage nila (Lady Archers) ay ang height,” said coach Roger Gorayeb.

Making on its first-ever finals appearance as underdogs, Ateneo hopes to solve the puzzle on how to stain the unbeaten record by defending champion La Salle in the finals opener of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at 2 p.m. today before an expected SRO crowd at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Eagles took two of the first three frames before the Lady Archers rallied to escape with a 18-25, 25-14, 21-25, 25-19, 15-7 victory and register a rare 14-game sweep of the eliminations last Feb. 12.

“Lumabas ang pagkabata nila sa game,” said Gorayeb, who made San Sebastian College’s volleyball program  as the NCAA’s most successful.

With a thrice-to-beat incentive, La Salle must beat Ateneo two times in the finals to bag its seventh league crown.

On the other hand, three wins is what the Lady Eagles need to claim the first title since joining the league in 1978.

No doubt, veterans Abigail Maraño, Michelle Gumabao and Cha Cruz carried the Lady Archers on top alongside rookies Ara Galang, Mika Reyes, setter Mika Esperanza and libero Melissa Gohing.

The 14-game elims sweep by La Salle was the first since 2004, during which the Taft lady spikers were then declared as outright champions.

“Bagong chapter na naman para sa mga bata itong finals.  Kailangan na namang itong paghirapan upang malusutan ang challenge na ito,” said Lady Archers mentor Ramil de Jesus.

One of the most successful women’s volleyball minds in the modern era, de Jesus has a 172-47 win-loss record for a 78.5 percent winning percentage since he started coaching La Salle in the 1997-98 season.

Ateneo, which was used to be the league’s perennial doormat, will pin its hopes on MVP contender Fille Cainglet, Alyssa Valdez, Dzi Gervacio, Gretchen Ho, A Nacachi, playmaker Jem Ferrer and defensive specialist Denden Lazaro.

Whatever the result of the finals, the Lady Eagles have already assured of their most successful season ever, highlighted by their 11-3 elimination round slate.

Ateneo advanced to the finals after ousting University of Santo Tomas, 25-19, 25-16, 22-25, 25-19, in the stepladder semifinals last Wednesday.

Top seed Far Eastern University and No. 4 La Salle collide in their ‘do or die’ match in the men’s semifinals at 10 a.m.

The winner of the Tamaraws-Green Archers duel will face the reigning four-time titlist Growling Tigers in the best-of-three finals which starts on Saturday.    (Theodore P. Jurado)