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Source: abs-cbnnews.com

-- UST, UP and Ateneo also prevail

Pre-season favorites De La Salle University (DLSU) and University of Santo Tomas (UST) disposed of separate opponents on Sunday to improve their respective win-loss cards in the 72nd UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at the Arena in San Juan City.

La Salle nailed its third straight win via a 25-15, 25-17 25-20 demolition of a listless Adamson University while UST climbed to 2-1 after holding back a gritty Far Eastern University (FEU) side, 25-18, 29-27, 25-21.

“We just caught Adamson off guard today. They were not able to play the way they used to… on a higher level. Our blocking and receiving game also clicked and that made it difficult for them to catch up,” La Salle coach Ramil de Jesus said.

The Lady Archers capitalized on the attacking errors of Adamson in the first set and the temporary absence of its open hitter, Jill Gustillo, who sprained her right knee at the height of La Salle’s 10-0 onslaught to reach match point.

La Salle practically re-asserted its dominance over the Lady Falcons in the second frame, leading by as much as 17-6 on the combined offensive thrusts of Jacqueline Alarca, Charlene Cruz and rookie Joanne Siy. Camille Cerveza closed the set with back-to-back quick hits.

Pouncing on Adamson’s shaky floor defense in the third set, La Salle zoomed ahead, 11-5, capped by an Abigail Maraño quick.

The Lady Falcons came within 14-18 on Gustillo’s crosscourt smash. But service errors stalled Adamson’s comeback as Cruz, Alarca and Siy pushed La Salle further, 23-16, for good.

Alarca, who is still nursing an injured right knee, paced La Salle with 10 points all from the attack line while Stephanie Mercado, Maraño and Siy chipped in 8 markers apiece.

Angela Benting and Gustillo, meanwhile, scored 10 points each for Adamson.

Long way to go

The Tigresses, meantime, rebounded from a lethargic 8-11 start in the second canto behind the heads-up plays of Angeli Tabaquero and newcomer Maru Banaticla whose down-the-line kill gave UST a 21-16 margin.

FEU tenaciously hung on, knotting the count at 22-all on April Jose’s ace and a Cherry Vivas block as both teams disputed five lead changes at the turn before UST iced the contest with a pair of Banaticla kills against a Shaira Gonzalez error.

UST sat on an 8-3 cushion to open the third set. But the Tigresses’ service woes allowed FEU to draw level at 17-all.

That, however, proved to be FEU’s last stand as Banaticla, Hannah Mance and setter Rhea Dimaculangan conspired in a searing 6-2 run to rebuild the UST lead, 23-18.

A Vivas foray which sailed wide and a Tabaquero placing finalized the outcome for the Tigresses.

“We were a little inconsistent in blocking Vivas that’s why FEU managed to keep the scores close in the last two sets. Some of the players were a little off today but patience saw us through. We still have a long way to go in this tournament,” UST coach Shaq delos Santos said.

Banaticla led UST with 15 points while Maizo added 9, including 5 blocks. Dimaculangan and Tabaquero had 8 markers each.

Vivas tallied a game-high 24 points while Gonzales backed her up with 9 points for the FEU squad.

UST is now tied with Adamson and Ateneo de Manila University in second place with identical 2-1 records.

Ateneo also scored a 25-18, 25-20, 25-21 victory over National University in the first game. Dzi Gervacio and Fille Canglet topscored for Ateneo with 12 points each.

The University of the Philippines (UP), meanwhile, repulsed University of the East, 25-16, 25-15, 20-25, 25-23, behind the 18-point effort of Southlyn Ramos.