With Bernadeth Pons and Kyla Atienza back in the lineup, the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws put and end to the Adamson University Lady Falcons’ season in Game Three of the Women’s Collegiate Conference semifinals, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-18, and booked a trip the Finals at the FilOil Flying V Centre.
Pons and Atienza have been out for the last two weeks, preparing for and participating in the UAAP Beach Volleyball tournament. In their first game back, both graduating veterans made their presence felt.
Pons was all over the stats sheet with 15 points, 14 digs, and 11 excellent receptions while Atienza was force at libero with 21 digs and 14 excellent receptions.
Open hitter Pons did not start the match, only being subbed in late in the first set which FEU lost. She then started in the last three sets and made clutch plays that halted any late Adamson run.
“Iba talaga kapag nandiyan si Pons. Siya talaga nagpanalo sa amin,” said FEU head coach George Pascua.
“Ako naman po, kapag nasa loob ako, ginagawa ko lang ‘yung best ko maging leader kasi ‘yun po ‘yung napansin kong kulang sa kanila nitong huling mga laro sa semis,” Pons added as FEU went to five sets in the first two games.
The Lady Tamaraws make their first PVL Finals since 2014 when they won the championship. They take on the back-to-back defending champs National University in a best-of-three which starts on Wednesday.
According to Pascua, Pons and Atienza are unlikely to play since the beach volleyball tournament continues on Thursday. FEU has a huge chance at winning gold in beach volleyball for the first time in in nearly six years.
The Lady Falcons finished their season with back-to-back losses after starting it with a 6-0 rally.
Eli Soyud led the Lady Falcons with 16 points, but needed 68 spike attempts to get them. Chiara Permentilla added 10 markers.
The Scores
FEU (3) – Carandag 16, Pons 15, Basas 10, Domingo 9, Negrito 5, Villareal 5, Malabanan 1, Cayuna 0, Hernandez 0, Atienza (L)
AdU (1) – Soyud 16, Permentilla 10, Flora 8, Perez 8, Dacoron 5, Emnas 2, Uy 0, Tempiatura (L)
