Despite the absence of middle blocker Joshua Castillo, the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons registered their second straight win, stopping the Arellano University Chiefs in four sets, 25-22, 25-21, 22-25, 25-19, Sunday afternoon at the FilOil Flying V Centre.
“[Castillo got] laceration sa lips. Eh 10 stitches yun,” explained UP head coach Hans Chuacuco on the situation. Ruskin Ijiran was nonetheless an able substitute after contributing six markers.
Team captain Mac Millete steered UP once more with 20 markers to lead four spikers in double digits.
The Maroons led big in the first two sets, but allowed the Chiefs to climb back in the middle stages. The Legarda-based side then used this momentum to steal the third.
Nonetheless, the advantage the Diliman squad built in the fourth frame was more than enough to take the match, as Jerry San Pedro got his spike through.
“Sinunod lang nila yung plan. Zero tempo — dun kami mag-start. And yung lineup, nag-work, which is good kasi lumalalim yung bench ko,” said Chuacuco.
On the other hand, former Maroon Christian Dela Paz had 13 for Arellano.
UP (2-0) will battle San Beda on Thursday, August 2. Arellano face NU later that day at 11:00am.
The Scores:
UP 3 – Millete 20, San Pedro 14, Gohoc 11, San Pascual 11, Ijiran 6, Baldelovar 2, Enteria 1, Membreve 0, Nasol L.
AU 2 – Dela Paz 13, Domingo 10, Segovia 9, Liberato 7, Lapuz 4, Meneses 2, Tan 2, Rinon 1, Arellano 0, Dablo L.
