The Adamson University Lady Falcons earned the second PVL Collegiate Conference semis spot after escaping the erstwhile-undefeated University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses, 15-25, 26-24, 25-23, 25-20, at the FilOil Flying V Centre.
UST played without star rookie and leading scorer Eya Laure, who was resting an injured right shoulder. Still, the Tigresses pounced on the Lady Falcons in the first set, leading wire-to-wire.
Adamson caught a break in the second set, finding late points from UST errors to tie the match at a set apiece. In the following two sets, the Lady Falcons averted disaster.
The San Marcelino-based program pushed ahead, 20-10, in the third set before UST slowly crawled back and got within one, 24-23. After a tip shot from captain Lea Perez gave them reprieve in the third frame, the Lady Falcons again let a 14-6 lead dissipate in the fourth set. Locked in a 16-all tie, the Lady Falcons surged to a 21-17 advantage to put the match away for good.
Just like their last win over UP, Lady Falcons head coach Airess Padda was far from impressed with her team’s showing.
“We’re still just really inconsistent,” said Padda. “There are plenty of things that we need to work on. I just feel that we lose leads a lot because our team becomes pretty complacent during matches.”
Perez topped the Lady Falcons with 12 points, while Eli Soyud, Trisha Genesis, and Bernadette Flora each tallied 10 markers.
Fil-Italian Milena Alessandrini took charge for UST, scoring 23 markers. Caitlyn Viray and Ysa Jimenez added 12 markers apiece.
The Lady Falcons (5-0) take on the San Beda Lady Red Spikers (1-4) tomorrow at the same venue. UST (5-1) face the FEU Lady Tamaraws (4-1) on August 25 at Cagayan De Oro.
The Scores
AdU (3) – Perez 12, Flora 10, Genesis 10, Soyud 10, Dacoron 7, Permentilla 2, Uy 0, Ponce (L)
UST (0) – Alessandrini 23, Jimenez 12, Viray 12, Francisco 9, Galdones 4, Galanza 2, Bicar 1, Tuazon 1, Camaligan 0, Sandoval 0, Victoria 0, Delerio (L), Martin (L)
