The Varsitarian

Feb. 16, 11:16 p.m. - THE UST Lady Spikers kissed their finals dream goodbye after bowing down to the Ateneo De Manila University, 20-25, 18-25, 28-25, and 12-25, at the Arena in San Juan today, to settle for third-place in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament.

Maika Ortiz led UST with 22 points, while Maruja Banaticla contributed 12. Ateneo’s team captain Fille Cainglet and rookie Alyssa Valdez led the Lady Eagles with 22 points apiece.

“I’m disappointed because we weren’t able to achieve our goal, which was to go to the finals,” head coach Odjie Mamon said. “Our players succumbed to pressure. They don’t normally play that way.”

UST lost the first two sets as Cainglet and Valdez’s cross hits exposed its weak floor defense.

In the third set, Ortiz’s running spikes and Banaticla’s power hits helped establish a 24-21 lead for UST. But the Lady Eagles regained their composure, sealing the last frame with Valdez’s off-the-block hits for a commanding 25-19 lead. Chenny V. Ramos