By Jean Malanum
MANILA – Ateneo de Manila University kept its semifinal bid alive after beating University of the Philippines, 25-23, 22-25, 23-25, 25-18, 15-7, on Wednesday in the UAAP Season 88 men’s volleyball tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Season 87 Best Opposite Spiker Amil Pacinio finished with 25 points, including eight in the fifth set, as the Blue Eagles improved to a 6-5 record.
Nigerian Aimar Okeke chipped in 16 points and 10 excellent receptions, while captain Jian Matthew Salarzon had 13 points, 15 receptions and eight digs for Ateneo, which will face De La Salle University at the Filoil Centre in San Juan on Saturday.
“We’ve always reminded them that the grit is always there, but we had to shake them up, from the beginning they are actually the better players inside the court. They just need to remember what they prepared for,” Ateneo assistant coach Tomie Rivera said.
The Blue Eagles banked on Okeke, Enzo Gutierrez and rookie middle blocker Rodge Alejos to win the fourth set and wrapped up the match with Eijra Taluban’s service ace after two hours and eight minutes.
“It’s in my heart and mind [during the fifth set] that it’s really now or never. It might really be my last season, so we really had to go all out and show the team that we could do it,” Pacinio, who also had six digs, said.
Middle blocker Kristofer Rodge Alejos and outside hitter Julio Miguel Yu contributed nine points and eight points, respectively.
Lorenzo Samuel Gutierrez dished out 19 excellent sets and Lance Andrei de Castro had 14 receptions and 13 digs.
Olayemi Raheem delivered 27 points for the Fighting Maroons, who slid to 3-8.
Tommy Castrodes added 15 points, 16 receptions while Angelo Lipata had nine points and 16 receptions for UP, which will meet Far Eastern University on April 12 at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila. (PNA)
