TOP-SEEDED National University sent University of Santo Tomas down to a playoff match for a twice-to-beat edge in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Final Four after a 23-25, 25-17, 25-18, 22-25, 15-9 gutsy five-set win to close its elimination round campaign on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Lady Bulldogs finished the eliminations as the top seed with a 12-2 record and will now turn their attention to the fourth seed Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws for their semifinals clash. The Lady Bulldogs are equipped with a twice-to-beat incentive.
Meanwhile, the Golden Tigresses saw their four-game winning streak snapped to fall at a three-way tie with the De La Salle Lady Spikers and the Lady Tamaraws for second to fourth spots at 9-5.
FEU got the fourth seed due to having an inferior set ratio against the two other teams, and will face NU in the Final Four for a second straight season.
UST and La Salle will duke it out in the playoff for the second seed and the twice-to-beat advantage on Wednesday, 2 p.m., at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, which will be a start of a virtual best-of-three series.
“I’m very happy kasi nakita kong lumaban yung teammates ko kahit na ganon kapagod. Actually sobrang nakakapagod talaga yung game and syempre gusto rin ng UST manalo pero yung teammates ko hindi ko nakitaan ng takot sa mga mata nila,” said NU’s two-time MVP Bella Belen, who had 26 points, 17 digs, and 13 receptions.
After the Golden Tigresses nabbed the first set, the Lady Bulldogs quickly refocused, opening the second and third frames with an 8-2 and 8-1 leads, respectively, on their way to taking the 2-1 set advantage.
NU then looked to replicate its efforts in the past two periods in the fourth, establishing an 8-4 cushion but UST did not fold easily.
Through the efforts of Em Banagua, Marga Altea, Arlene Waje, and Maribeth Hilongo, the Golden Tigresses were able to take a 19-17 lead but Belen took over to give her side a 21-20 upperhand.
However, the graduating Belen committed two straight errors while Regina Jurado smashed in three straight points to extend the match to a deciding fifth set for UST, 25-22.
Angge Poyos’ attack kept the Golden Tigresses in the game in the fifth, down by just two 7-9, but Belen rallied the Lady Bulldogs anew for a strong 6-2 finisher for the win after two hours and 36 minutes.
Erin Pangilinan started the pullaway with a through-the-block quick before Belen scored three straight to put NU at match point, 14-8.
Although Hilongo got one back for UST, Alyssa Solomon smartly swiped the ball off the blockers for the win that marked NU’s fifth straight win over UST dating back to the second round of Season 86.
“Kanina buti na lang lumabas yung lapses namin para alam na namin kung ano ang iaadjust sa mga training namin and dapat alam na namin kung gaano kami dapat kabilis magadjust,” said Solomon, who chipped in 23 points and six digs.
Vange Alinsug also put in 19 points in the win while Camilla Lamina guided the Lady Bulldogs with 31 excellent sets. Shaira Jardio also shone with 23 receptions and 21 digs.
Meanwhile, Jurado led the Golden Tigresses’s valiant fight with 19 points, 12 digs, and seven receptions, while Poyos chipped in 15 points and 11 receptions.
Hilongo added 12 points and 14 receptions, while middle blockers Altea and Banagua got 10 and nine points, respectively.
