Alyssa Valdez of the Ateneo De Manila University is on the right track to in her bid

for a back-to-back Most Valuable Player awards killing the competition after the
first round of the 77th UAAP womens volleyball tournament.
Alyssa Valdez of Ateneo de Manila University is on the right track in her bid for
back-to-back Most Valuable Player awards killing the competition after the first
round of the 77th UAAP womens volleyball tournament.

The Queen Eagle accumulated a total of 155 points after seven games built on 127
spikes, 11 blocks and 17 service aces. Valdez averages 22.14 markers per outing to
help Ateneo sweep the first round.

Valdez had 23 points in a straight set victory against the University of the East Lady
Warriors last Saturday before scoring 26 markers the day after as the Lady Eagles
toppled arch-rival and erstwhile unbeaten La Salle Lady Spikers, 25-22, 25-27, 1625, 25-14, 15-9.

The Ateneo superstar is ahead of 6-foot-4 Jaja Santiago of National U Lady Bulldogs
by 26 points in the overall scoring department while early frontrunner Ara Galang of
La Salle slid to third with 126.

Santiago had 107 kills, 15 blocks and seven service aces while Galang totaled 92
smashes, 16 denials and 18 aces.

Though trailing Valdez in spikes by 20, Santiago still took first place in the spiking
department with higher kill efficiency of 40.84 percent (227-ot-262 clip) compared
to the Atenean hitters 40.19 (266-of-316).

Marivic Meneses of University of Sto. Tomas topped the blocking department with
25 while Mylene Paat of Adamson and Lady Spiker Mika Reyes both had 22 denials
in a tie at second and third spot.

Galang is ahead of Valdez by a solitary point for the best server citation.

Ateneo's Jia Morado is the best playmaker in the first round with an average of 8.96
excellent sets per frame ahead of La Salle's Kim Fajardo (7.68) and Adamson's
Fenela Emnas (7.20).

Arielle Estranero of UP posted norms of 2.81 digs after seven games leaving behind
runner ups Fatima General of NU (2.77) and Lady Eagles libero Denden Lazaro
(2.76), the top receiver with 30.99% efficiency to lead teammate Ella De Jesus
(30.00) and Adamsons Marlene Cortel (28.22).

Ateneo is the rounds best attacking team with a success rate of 37.71% in 838
attempts where they converted 316 spikes and 393 shots with 129 faults. NU is
second with 31.15% rate on 870 attempts (271 spikes, 452 shots and 147 faults)
and La Salle is third with 30.52 percent on 853 attempts (260 spikes, 493 shots
and 99 faults). The Lady Eagles are also the top team in digging (9.00 per set),
reception (28.00%) and setting (8.96 per frame)

La Salle is the best blocking team on an average of 2.72 per set leading UST (2.42)
and NU (2.12) and also the frontrunner in the service department with 2.60 per set.

Ateneo holds a 7-0 win-loss record followed by La Salle (6-1), NU (4-3), Adamson
(3-4), University of the Philippines (3-4), Far Eastern U (3-4), UST (2-5) and UE (07).