UST, FEU Forge Playoff For Second Spot
by Theodore Jurado
University of Santo Tomas pulled a surprising easy 25-12, 25-23, 25-20 win against Adamson while Far Eastern University whipped Ateneo, 25-21, 30-28, 25-8, yesterday at the end of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament before a big crowd at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
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www.ubelt.com/tourney/evt/story.aspx?tourney=uaap&evt=wvb&id=1480Reigning MVP Venus Bernal shot 17 kills while Mary Jean Balse 12 markers for the Tigresses, who scored 26 points off opponent errors.
The victory put an end to the amazing 12-game winning run by the Lady Falcons.
"I salute my coaching staff, sina coach Shaq (delos Santos) and Norman (Miguel) for doing a great scouting job. We did not have trouble in our plays because of our good blocking and receiving," said UST coach August Sta. Maria.
Despite the loss, which was the first since Dec. 10 when they bowed to the Tigresses in five sets, the Lady Falcons clinched the 'twice-to-beat' bonus in the 'Final Four' by virtue of higher quotient.
UST, FEU and Adamson are tied on top with identical 12-2 marks.
In this case, the Lady Tamaraws and the Tigresses will slug it out in a playoff for the second 'twice-to-beat' bonus on Wednesday, as they have an inferior quotient against the Lady Falcons, who have assured of the No. 1 seeding in the semifinals.
The 'Final Four', which marks the first appearance of the Lady Eagles since joining the league in 1978.
Maica Morada had 15 hits, 14 coming off attacks, while Josephine Cafranca and Wendy Semana added 11 markers apiece for the Lady Tamaraws.
Rookie Kara Acevedo scored 11 points for the Lady Eagles, who were banged up in the third frame after losing a close second set.
Charo Soriano, the league's leading scorer, was shut down to seven kills, her second lowest output this season.
UST took control of the opening frame, as Balse and Bernal combined forces in racing a 8-0 spread and never looked back.
The Lady Falcons fought back in the second, with Laguilles scoring a hit to move closer to 23-24 before Bernal unleashed a set-clinching kill for the Tigresses.
Adamson last tasted the lead, 13-12, in the third set before Benting made two consecutive errors for a one-point UST lead.
Errors continue to hound the Lady Falcons, as a rotation violation gave Tigresses a 21-14 advantage.
Still reeling from the UAAP Board decision nullifying their four wins due to technicality on blocker Jackie Alarca's eligibility which booted them out in 'Final Four' hunt, La Salle consoled themselves to a 25-22, 25-10, 25-17 win over National University.
Michelle Datuin, filling in for Alarca, scored 17 hits for the Lady Archers, who ended their stint with a 3-11 record alongside the Lady Bulldogs in sixth place.
Jolina Hernandez had 17 markers as University of the Philippines downed University of the East, 16-25, 26-24, 25-17, 25-19.
The Lady Maroons finished the season with a 4-10 record in fifth place, while the Red Skirts bring up the rear with 2-12 slates.
Source: UBelt.com
