ATENEO de Manila University sealed a dominating classification round campaign with a 26-24, 25-16, 21-25, 25-23, win over College of Saint Benilde (CSB) for a fifth place finish in the 2024 Shakey's Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-season Championship at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Lyann de Guzman displayed her scoring prowess with a game-high 20 points but Geezel Tsunashima played the hero's role in the closing stretch of the fourth set after scoring the Blue Eagles' last two points to bag the victory.
Ateneo replicated its best finish in the league's centerpiece tournament backed by Shakey's Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea, Grab Philippines, and Summit Water.
The Blue Eagles, who swept University of the East in the first phase of the classification round, finished fifth in the inaugural edition two years ago.
De Guzman, who scored seven in the fourth frame, smashed 19 attack points and an ace while middle blocker AC Miner added 13 markers for Ateneo, which outgunned the reigning NCAA champions Lady Blazers in spikes, 64-48.
Tsunashima got all her nine points from kills including the match-clinching back-to-back hits.
The Blue Eagles trailed the Lady Blazers, 18-20, in the fourth set before unleashing a 5-2 run to take a 23-22 advantage.
Saint Benilde's opposite hitter Clydel Catarig knotted the frame at 23 with a sharp attack. Tsunashima answered with a crosscourt kill that was initially called out but overturned following a successful challenge by Ateneo.
The Blue Eagles wing spiker then put on the finishing touch with an off the block kill.
Catarig led Saint Benilde with 14 points she collected from 13 spikes and one kill while Zamantha Nolasco and Mary Grace Borromeo had 11 and 10 markers, respectively.
Catarig waxed-hot in the third frame scoring six points with Mycah Gon and Borromeo throwing in plenty of help to avoid getting swept by Ateneo.
The Lady Blazers looked poised to force a fifth set only to lose steam at crunch time.
Meanwhile, UE swept University of the Philippines, 25-20, 25-22, 26-24, for a seventh place finish.
Read The Rest at :
