NU deals Ateneo rare 0-2 start, joins La Salle on top
National University held off Ateneo to eke out a 25-22, 25-15, 22-25, 25-22 win while De La Salle made quick work of Adamson, 25-21, 25-20, 25-14, for a share of lead yesterday in the UAAP Season 84 women's volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Princess Robles and Michaela Belen connived down the stretch and converted key points which enabled the Lady Bulldogs to get close to the Blue Eagles in the fourth frame.
Robles scored 18 points off 17 attacks and a block, Belen posted 16 spikes for 18 markers, Alyssa Solomon chalked up 15 points, four coming from service aces, and Ivy Lacsina had 12 markers for NU.
“Siguro in terms of preparation lang siguro namin, 'yon 'yong naging malaking bagay sa amin,” said Lady Bulldogs head coach Karl Dimaculangan.
“Pero yung errors namin 'yon yong nagiging problema namin so i-address namin 'yon, kailangan naming magreview. More on sa sarili namin or sa team namin 'yong naging problema,” he added after his wards tallied 38 errors, mostly coming from the third set.
After three deadlocks, Belen stepped on the gas before Erin Pangilinan and Lacsina clamped down on their net defense and blocked Faith Nisperos' potential game-tying attack en route to match point, 24-23.
The Katipunan-based squad couldn't stop the bleeding though as Belen scored a service ace for the win.
Nisperos was the lone Eagle to reach double-digits with 16 points off 15 attacks while Vannie Gandler chipped in nine points highlighted by eight spikes and a block.
In the second game, the Lady Spikers made sure that there will be no extended sets after using a strong third frame to easily create a separation from the Lady Falcons.
De La Salle uncorked a commanding 8-0 run capped by an attack error from Adamson's Aliah Marce for a 10-point cushion, 23-13.
The Lady Falcons halted the momentum for a while but Alleiah Malaluan fired an off-the-block hit before Marce's hit went too short and did not go over the net.
Malaluan and Jolina Dela Cruz led De La Salle with 12 points apiece while May Ann Nuique and Lucille May Almonte paced Adamson with 12 points each.
The Eagles and the Falcons, for their part, both slipped at 0-2.