UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) nailed its first winning streak in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) women’s volleyball tournament with a 25-19, 25-16, 23-25, 25-15 victory over Adamson on Saturday at the Filoil Flying V Arena.
Rookie EJ Laure displayed her best game of the season with 19 hits, while veterans Carmela Tunay, Pam Lastimosa and Ria Meneses combined for 42 points as the Tigresses tied their victims at 3-5.
“Coming to the game maganda ang mood ng mga player to think na paiba-iba kami ng venues for a week,” said UST Coach Odjie Mamon, whose team had to train in other gyms as their school was preparing for last week’s papal visit.
“Our seniors have realized how to fulfill their roles. If they can’t score, may ibang paraan para ma-excel mga skills nila,” he added.
In the first women’s match, Far Eastern University (FEU) downed a surprisingly tough University of the East (UE), 25-16, 25-17, 22-25, 25-18, for its first win this year and move within half a game behind fourth-running University of the Philippines.
The Lady Warriors finally won a set this season and even led, 12-11, in the fourth frame before Bernadette Pons and Remy Palma combined forces down the stretch to help the Lady Tamaraws end a two-game slide and improve to 4-5 card.
“Gumana ang depensa at attack ng mga open spikers [ng UE]. Ganoon talaga, second round na ito. On and off pa rin ang laro, hindi puwedeng ganoon sa mga natitira naming laro,” FEU mentor Shaq de los Santos said.
Pons tallied 14 points and 11 digs, while Palma had two blocks to finish with 11 points for the Lady Tamaraws, who also drew 13 digs from libero Tin Agno.
The Tigresses moved within a game of the Lady Maroons in the race for the last Final Four berth. UST started the season by losing four of its first five matches.
The Lady Falcons, who now have lost three straight, were flat in the first two sets but rose in the third set with Amanda Villanueva and Mylene Paat leading the charge, but succumbed in the fourth with their errors, as the Tigresses rediscovered the joy in their game with Laure, Lastimosa, Tunay and Meneses taking turns on offense.
Villanueva led Adamson with 14 hits and 11 digs, while Paat added 12 markers. The Lady Warriors, who dropped to 0-9, drew big numbers from Shaya Adorador (14 hits) and Angelica Dacaymat (13 hits) but committed 38 errors.
In men’s division, Greg Dolor had three blocks for a 23-point effort as FEU nipped UP, 25-21, 25-18, 18-25, 22-25, 15-10, for its third win in eight starts, while La Salle (2-7), behind Mike Frey’s 16 hits, dealt UE its eighth consecutive defeat with a 25-15, 22-25, 25-20, 25-22 victory.
UE Coach Francis Vicente, still looking for his first win for the Lady Warriors, hopes that by winning a set will be a start of something positive for the Recto-based spikers.
“Overall, may satisfaction. In fairness to them, may nakita akong spark na kaya nilang manalo. Kailangan lang ng may magdadala sa loob,” Vicente said.
Image credits: Nonoy Lacza