Lady Maroons subdue UB tossers
Games on Aug. 1
12:45 p.m. – St. Benilde vs Ateneo 3 p.m. – UB vs Arellano 5 p.m. – DLSU-Dasma vs SSC
University of the Philippines bounced back strong from an opening set setback and peppered University of Batangas’ defense with a barrage of hits, scoring a 24-26, 25-19, 25-19, 25-20 victory and shoring up its quarterfinal drive in the Shakey’s V-League Season 12-Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan City yesterday.
Adjusting to the Lady Brahmans’ style of play, the Lady Maroons rammed in kills on quick sets and combination plays behind playmaker Hannah Lai – spikes that either pierced through the UB blockers or landed on unguarded spots in the middle and back row.
The Lady Maroons finished with 68 attacks, nearly doubling their rivals’ 37-spike effort, and their one-hour, 28-minute victory kept them in step with the National U Lady Bulldogs and the Arellano Lady Chiefs at 2-1 in the race to the quarters in the mid-season offering of the league sponsored by Shakey’s and presented by PLDT Home Ultera.
Far Eastern U shows the way in Group A with a 3-0 mark, capped by its 25-16, 25-14, 2514 demolition of Polytechnic University of the Philippines last Saturday.
“After we dropped the first set, coach (Jerry Yee) told us to relax. We were a bit tight and they (Lady Brahmans) were loading up their serves,” said Isabel Molde, who spearheaded the Lady Maroons’ fightback with a cluster of kills en route to a 21-hit game.
UST pulled through in a tough five-setter, wearing down erstwhile unbeaten St. Benilde in the decider to snatch a 25-12, 27-25, 25-21, 26-28, 15-7 win and tie its victim at second in Group A at 2-1.
Five Tigresses churned out double-digit output with Carmela Tunay topscoring with 15 hits, Jessey De Leon unleashing a 14-point game and Marivic Meneses, Ennajie Laure and skipper Pam Lastimosa chipping in 12 apiece as UST prevailed in a thrilling two-hour, seven-minute contest watched by a big Sunday crowd.
UST improved to 2-1 as it caught up CSB at second behind Ateneo’s 2-0 mark midway through the single round elims of the tournament featuring two divisions of six teams each.
It was a sorry setback for the Lady Blazers, who outlasted the Tigresses in an extended fourth-set duel to force a decider, only to sputter in the face of the España-based spikers’ fiery windup.
Jannine Navarro topscored for St. Benilde with 21 hits while Jeanette Panaga added 11 and Melanie Torres, Ellaine Dolorito, Ranya Musa and Djanel Cheng combined for 24 points.
Earlier, Justine Dorog, a product of the Shakey’s Girls Volley League, delivered 18 attacks while Marian Buitre added 10 and Maristela Layug chipped in six markers for the Dilimanbased squad priming up for the UAAP wars.
Cyren Montecer, Krissa Madalogdog and Kimberly Jamilla all fired 11 hits while Lalyn Garcia came through with nine points for the Lady Brahmans.