ATENEO BLUE EAGLES COMPLETE PERFECT SEASON, SEAL 3-PEAT
By Ardyn Gonzales
6 May 2017
The Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles needed to go through another five-set match against the National University Bulldogs, 18-25, 25-16, 20-25, 25-18, 15-13, to end the Finals series with their third straight championship in the UAAP men’s volleyball tournament, May 6, Saturday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Just like in Game 1, Ateneo was down 1-2 and survived the fourth set to extend the game in a deciding set.
The momentum the Blue Eagles got in the last set seemed to have been lost as NU quickly built a three-point lead in the fifth set, 7-4, but they were able to tie the match at 8-all with the help of back-to-back attack errors of NU.
With strong attacks by Marck Espejo and Tony Koyfman, Ateneo was able to steal and extend the lead, 13-10.
With their season now on the line, NU fought back to tie the game at 13-all, but the graduating middle blocker Rex Intal had other things in mind as he scored an off-the-block attack followed by a block on Fauzi Ismail by Espejo, to seal the championship.
Four-time MVP Marck Espejo carried Ateneo with 27 points, while graduating players Rex Intal and Joshua Villanueva with 10 points each.
Fauzi Ismail and Bryan Bagunas had 24 and 20 points respectively for NU.
The Blue Eagles successfully completed their perfect 16-0 run this season and extended their 30th winning streak dating back to last season.
Finals Most Valuable Player: Tony Koyfman, 11 points and 18 excellent receptions
Follow the writer on Twitter: [social link=”https://twitter.com/burnsports” icon=”62218″]
