Lady Bulldogs sweep conference to secure third straight crown

For the third time, the National University Lady Bulldogs will enter the UAAP season as champions of the premier pre-season tournament in collegiate volleyball after taking a four-set win over the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, 25-22, 25-29, 19-25, 25-16, in Game 2 of the 2017 PVL Women’s Collegiate Conference Finals.

But unlike their past championships, the Lady Bulldogs swept the entire season with a clean 9-0 slate.

Jaja Santiago, who was earlier crowned as the conference MVP, tallied 22 points, nine from attacks and three from aces.

Jasmine Nabor was named as the Finals MVP after tossing 45 excellent sets, while finishing with six markers. This is her second Finals MVP plum after winning it last season.

Jorelle Singh and Aiko Urdas chipped in 11 and 10 markers each in the title-clincher.

FEU played without ace hitter Bernadeth Pons and Kyla Atienza, as the two figured in the finals of the UAAP Season 80 Women’s Beach Volleyball tournament.

Jeannette Villareal and Czarina Carandang paced the Lady Tamaraws with 10 markers each.

In the first women’s game of the day, defending NCAA champions Arellano University Lady Chiefs outlasted the Adamson University Lady Falcons in four grueling sets, 25-22, 25-19, 19-25, 31-29, to secure bronze.

Regine Arocha towed the Lady Chiefs with 19 points while Andrea Torres and Necole Ebuen chipped in 14 and 10 markers each. And they needed every point from the Arellano trio to stop Bernadette Flora’s rampage.

Flora tallied 26 markers as the Lady Falcons tried to send the bronze medal match into a quotient-decider.

The Scores:

Final:
NU (3) – Santiago 22, Singh 11, Urdas 10, Sato 7, Robles 7, Nabor 6, Paran 5, Chavez (L), Valdez (L).
FEU (1) – Villareal 10, Carandang 10, Basas 9, Domingo 6, Guino-o 3, Calinawan 3, Negrito 2, Agudo 1, Malabanan 1, Hernandez 0, Duremdes (L).

Bronze Medal:
AU (3) – Arocha 19, Marzan 14, Ebuen 10, Esguerra 7, Bello 5, Ramirez 2, Torres 2, Liu 2, Balanoba 0, Verutiao 0, Flores (L), Buemia (L).
AdU (1) – Flora 26, Soyud 13, Permentilla 12, Dacoran 7, Emnas 4, Roque 4, Perez 4, Pinar 0, Uy 0, Igao 0, Ponce (L), Tempiatura (L).