Eight-Year Drought Over! UP Lady Maroons Stun Ateneo in Epic UAAP Volleyball Comeback
The University of the Philippines Lady Maroons just ended an eight-year losing streak against the Ateneo Blue Eagles in dramatic fashion, pulling off a stunning comeback victory in five sets — 17-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-23, 16-14 — in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday.
Down two sets to zero, things looked bleak for the Diliman-based squad. But the Lady Maroons dug deep, clawing their way back into the match set by set. It was the kind of never-say-die performance that had the crowd on their feet — and ended an 11-game losing skid against Ateneo dating back to Season 80 in 2018.
Irah Jaboneta was the hero for UP, leading the charge with 14 points along with eight digs and seven receptions. Fina Ali, making her season debut, also delivered big with 13 points — all from attacks. Talk about making an entrance!
For Ateneo, it was a heartbreaking loss despite strong performances from J. Lo delos Santos (21 points) and Ana Hermosura (19 points). The Blue Eagles fought hard pero kulang pa to hold off UP’s relentless rally in the final three sets.
With the win, UP improved to a perfect 2-0 record this season while Ateneo fell to 0-2. It’s still early in the tournament, but this kind of momentum — and this kind of heart — could carry the Lady Maroons a long way. UP Fight!
Source: GMA News
