Jaja rushes back to power Lady Bulldogs to finals
A unit of Highway Patrol Group burned rubber in a virtual case of emergency, escorting National U star Jaja Santiago from Laguna to Pasig in time for the 6- 5 skipper team‘ s semifinal duel with University of the Philippines.
And Santiago made the big difference, firing 25 hits and powering the Lady Bulldogs past the Lady Maroons, 21-25, 25-10, 27-25, 25-21, yesterday as NU clinched the first finals berth in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Collegiate Conference at the Philsports Arena.
Santiago proved in top shape, hardly slowed down by the rigors of playing back- to- back games in one day, pumping in 19 kills, the last ending the 1:29-hour encounter that capped the Lady Bulldogs’ sweep of the Lady Maroons in their best-ofthree Final Four series.
“I just wanted to help the team make it back to the finals,” said Santiago while stressing the need to improve on their teamwork to complete a back- to- back championship in the mid- season conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s.
NU swept Ateneo in sudden death to rule this conference last year.
From Laguna, where she scored 10 hits, including six attack points, two blocks and two aces, in Foton Pilipinas’ three- set setback to Kazakhstan, Santiago rushed to the Pasig venue escorted by the HPG
She made it in time, changed suits but didn’t start then spearheaded the Lady Bulldogs’ fightback from a set down with a sweep of the next three. Santiago also came through with four blocks.
Veteran Jorelle Singh backed Santiago with 16 points, including 12 kills and three aces, while Aiko Urdas chipped in 14 points and Joy Doromal and Risa Sato combined for 15 hits.
The Lady Bulldogs, who held off the Lady Maroons, 25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 26-24, in the opener of their playoff in the league backed by Mikasa as official ball and Accel as official outfitter, also pounced on their rivals’ poor service reception as they punched in 15 aces.
Diana Carlos and Nicole Tiamzon shot 14 points apiece for UP, which also drew 11 markers from Isa Molde. But the Lady Maroons failed to sustain their own fightback in the third and fourth sets.
Playmaker Jasmine Nabor also dished out a solid game, producing 49 of NU’s excellent sets, including a series of quick hits for Santiago, while adding three hits.