Amy Ahomiro, Ateneo hoping to keep Mika Reyes ‘a little quiet’

MANILA, Philippines – The Ateneo Lady Eagles are hoping to avenge their first-round defeat to the DLSU Lady Spikers when both teams collide for the second time this season on Sunday, April 10. In order to do that, the defending champions know there are challenges they need to overcome – like containing one of La Salle’s best players, Mika Reyes.

When both teams faced back on February 27, Reyes scored 9 points in 3 sets while providing a steady presence defending the net. The dominant Lady Spikers were seen celebrating a lot of their conversions, with Reyes looking hyped after each block or score. Her celebration with teammates after scoring a block point on a spike by Alyssa Valdez is what spectators remember most.

“We’re hoping to make bawi (bounce back) for our first game – that was really bad,” said graduating Lady Eagle Amy Ahomiro about the upcoming rematch.

“Sana (Hopefully) we enter with confidence, we play as a team, and hopefully the outcome is that we win.”

Ateneo (11-2) and La Salle (10-2) sit atop the UAAP Season 78 league standings. Both have already clinched twice-to-beat advantages in the Final Four, so whichever seed between one or two they end up doesn’t really matter, if you’re not taking their potential opponents into consideration.

What is on the line is bragging right for the two teams who have met in the last 4 finals of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament. The psychological edge heading into the next round, and quite possibly another finals rematch, may also be a factor – something DLSU likely owns given the result of their first encounter.

“I think the first game they really just took it from the start, like from the moment we exited the dug-out, I don’t think our confidence was there,” said Ahomiro. In that loss to La Salle, the Lady Eagles’ 24-game winning streak was snapped as they failed to limit errors and allowed DLSU to score on 13 of services. 

“I don’t think we believed in ourselves as much as we should. I don’t think we played with teamwork, so hopefully this game we play with all the things we lakced in the last game.”

Ara Galang and Mary Joy Baron also played well in the first game against Ateneo with 10 points apiece, while Kim Fajardo posted 13 points – 7 on services – plus 16 excellent sets.

Ahomiro, who wasn’t 100% recovered from injury in the last game, has looked back to form in Ateneo’s recent 5-game winning streak and is once again playing the middle position, where she feels “more comfortable.” 

“Hopefully our team has adjusted enough with me in the middle, with the defense in the back and everything,” said the student-athlete, before later adding:

“Hopefully we’ve adjusted enough with me to be in that position and they’re (La Salle) still adjusting to play against us in that position.”

When asked if Ahomiro is excited to play against Reyes, whom she’s matched up well against in the past, she responded:

“Yeah, super. Hopefully we can keep her a little quiet. Hopefully.” – Rappler.com