Eagles, Generals smother rivals, reach Spikers’ Turf quarters

MANILA, Philippines - Ateneo smothered University of the Philippines with its power game, fashioning out an emphatic 25-16, 25-14, 25-21 victory to advance to the quarterfinals in Group B of the Spikers’ Turf Season 1-Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan City yesterday.

The Eagles, the reigning UAAP champions, pounced on the Maroons sloppy defense and reception, ramming in 40 attacks and nine aces on their way to a 66-minute victory, their third straight in their side of the two-division tournament presented by PLDT Home Ultera.

“We didn’t take them for granted because we knew UP had just won the Philippine National Games crown,” said Ateneo mentor Oliver Almadro.

UAAP MVP Marck Espejo and Rex Intal combined for 24 hits while skipper Ysrael Marasigan added nine markers and Ishmael Rivera and Joshua Villanueva added six points apiece for the Eagles, who hope to complete an elims sweep with victories over Arellano U and St. Benilde on Aug. 5 and 12, respectively.

Despite the loss, the Maroons, who scored just 20 spikes and three aces, dropped to solo second and on track for a quarters berth.

Earlier, reigning NCAA champion Emilio Aguinaldo College withstood Mapua’s tough defense in the first two sets then rolled on in the third to carve out a 25-22, 26-24, 25-17 victory and clinch the first quarters berth in Group A.

Power-spiking Howard Mojica, the NCAA MVP who helped power PLDT Home Ultera’s title conquest in the Spikers’ Turf’s inaugural conference last May, unleashed a match-best 19 hits, including 18 off attacks to lead the Generals to their third straight victory.

“Mapua played excellent defense in the first two sets, but we were able to survive it,” said EAC coach Rodrigo Palmero in Filipino.

Mojica came through with clutch hits to thwart the Cardinals in the first two sets, particularly in the second when the Muralla-based squad battled the Generals spike-for-spike and hit-for-hit.

But the Generals proved steadier and escaped with the win before re-asserting their might in the third to complete a 77-minute victory.

Kerth Melliza and team captain Israel Encina backed Mojica with 11 and 10 hits, respectively.

Far Eastern U rebounded from an opening set loss to defeat University of the East, 19-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-18, and stay in the hunt of the last quarters berth with a 1-2 card.

Jeric Gacutan and Greg Dolor combined for 24 hits as the Tams repulsed the Warriors despite losing in spikes, 44-51, and blocks, 4-6. UE slid to 0-3.

While EAC secured its spot in the next round, Mapua found itself reeling to a third straight defeat and would need to sweep its last two matches to stay in the hunt for the last quarters berth in the tournament backed by Mikasa and organized by Sports Vision.

The Generals also vowed to keep their run and build some momentum heading to the quarters phase where the top four teams from both groups will advance for another single round battle carrying their respective elims records.

EAC will take on University of the East tomorrow and National University, the UAAP runner-up, on Aug. 3.