Coach Oliver Almadro has summed up what Ateneo can offer against University of Santo Tomas in their first-ever Finals meeting.
“We will give them a beautiful game. Yun ang sa amin,” said Almadro.
The Lady Eagles hope to live up to the billing as heavy favorites when they face the Tigresses in the opener of the UAAP Season 81 women’s volleyball championship at 4 p.m. today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Ateneo has swept UST in their elimination round head-to-head this season and has won 14 consecutive matches between them in the last seven years.
But for Almadro, throw those away from the window, as the Tigresses will enter the championship oozing with confidence with a six-game winning streak.
“Alam naman natin sa umpisa pa lang yung firepower ng UST. Tapos they are well-rested, so yun ang advantage,” said Almadro, who is seeking to win his first title as Ateneo women’s coach after a successful run of three championships in the men’s side.
While the Tigresses needed only one game to unseat De La Salle in the throne, the Lady Eagles survived a pesky Far Eastern University in the other Final Four pairing to make a return trip to the finals.
Aside from the championship experience Ateneo, having gone through two grueling Final Four matches, is expected to put their experience to good use against UST, which is back in the title round after eight years.
“Yung mental toughness. Yung heart. Yung will. Tumibay,” said Almadro after winning their hard-fought series against the Tamaraws.
Skipper Bea de Leon and fellow middle hitter Maddie Madayag hope to finish what they started. De Leon and Madayag were rookies when Ateneo won its second straight title in 2015.