Ateneo stuns fancied La Salle, wins 1st UAAP volleyball title

MANILA, Philippines -- The Ateneo Lady Eagles have finally landed on top of the UAAP volleyball.

Ateneo won its first ever league title in women's volleyball in style dethroning last season's champion and arch-rival La Salle in a stunning three-set sweep, 25-23, 26-24, 25-21, on Saturday before a loud 21,314 crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Lady Eagles came out of nowhere to steal the crown from the Lady Archers, who were tipped to win a record fourth league title after winning 30 straight games heading to the finals.

But Ateneo, which had to survive Adamson at the onset of the stepladder semifinals and shocked fancied NU twice to earn a shot at mighty La Salle in the finals waged one big fight and was fittingly rewarded in the end.

The Lady Eagles' confidence grew larger in each of the five do-or-die matches they have won culminating in this one-sided Game Four.

Season MVP Alyssa Valdez completed Ateneo's magical season scoring the last three points to add the Finals MVP to her growing collection of awards which also included the best scorer and best server.

Valdez finished with 21 points leading the Lady Eagles to an improbable upset overcoming the thrice-to-beat advantage of their rivals.

The unexpected three-set sweep in Game Four was fueled by Ateneo's fightback from seven-point deficit to grab the second set.

Rookie Michele Morente and Ella de Jesus also contributed in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Lady Archers, who were dumbfounded in the finals, drew 11 points from last season's co-MVP Ara Galang. La Salle's other MVP Aby Marano was nowhere near her top form as she ended her UAAP stint with a lackluster five-point performance.