Lady Altas blow hot, cold en route to 2nd win vs Stags

University of Perpetual Help squandered a two-set lead but recovered in time as it edged San Sebastian, 25-22, 25-23, 7-25, 18-25, 15-11, to get back on the winning track in the NCAA Season 93 women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan yesterday.

Lourdes Clemente, Cindy Imbo, Blanca Tripoli and Jowie Verzosa fired 15, 14, 12 and nine points, respectively, as they combined in Lady Altas’ closing 6-1 flurry to save the fifth set and the match after blowing two hard-earned set victories.

Perpetual thus improved to 2-1 for joint fourth with Jose Rizal U.

The Lady Altas took the first two sets but lost steam in the next two, struggling for just seven points in the third and fell by as many as 10 in the fourth.

They, however, regrouped in the decider, battling back from 9-10 deficit with a fiery finish behind Clemente, Verzosa, Tripoli and Imbo.

A drop by Clemente followed by a block by Verzosa sparked the Lady Altas’ strong windup while a hit by Tripoli sealed the victory after the Lady Stags saved the match point on an offthe-block kill by Dangie Encarnacion.

“We relaxed. I told them, even in practice, that if we know that we could prevail over our opponent, if we already took the first two sets, we should do a better job in the third set so our opponent would not have a chance to get back in the game,” said UPHSD coach Macky Carino.

Daurene Santos logged 22 points, Encarnacion added 16, Joyce Sta. Rita played through a mild right ankle sprain she sustained in the second set to collect 15, while Nikka Dalisay chipped in 12 to lead the depleted SSC squad.