By: Justine Anne Gaerlan
The road to a repeat began with a statement, as defending champion National University-Nazareth School overcame University of Santo Tomas, 22-25, 32-30, 25-21, 25-21, to kick off the UAAP Season 88 High School Girls’ Volleyball Tournament on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym in Loyola Heights, Quezon City.
The Lady Bullpups bounced back from a first-set loss with a gritty performance in the second, which turned into a point-for-point showdown between UST’s Patricia Mendoza and NUNS’ Diza Berayo.
The Junior Golden Tigresses held four set points, but the Lady Bullpups swung momentum in their favor. Ysabella Cruz came up with a crucial block to reach match point, before Akeyla Bartolabac delivered the winning attack.
NUNS pressed the advantage in the fourth set, racing to a 9-3 lead.
The Junior Golden Tigresses stormed back with a seven-point surge to take a 10-9 lead, but Berayo remained steady down the stretch. She scored the Lady Bullpups’ final two points, including the match-clinching kill.
“Nakakatuwa kasi everybody nags-step-up, tsaka ‘yung composure naman nila kahit na-da-down kami [o] nagkakamali sila, nandun,” said NUNS head coach Karl Dimaculangan.
“Nire-remind lang talaga namin sila na hindi nila maiiwasan ‘yung pressure. And ‘yung kabahan sila diyan, laging nandiyan pero [nasa kanila na] kung paano nila iha-handle,” he added.
Berayo erupted for 24 points on 21 kills and two aces while adding eight digs. Bartolabac contributed 17 markers, with Micaella Gould dishing out 14 excellent sets in the two-hour match.
UST leaned on Nicole Pelaez’s 19 points and Kim Rubin’s 12, while libero Chasliey Pepito anchored the defense with 21 excellent digs.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Meanwhile, Adamson University began its quest to bounce back from last season’s runner-up finish with a straight-sets victory over Far Eastern University-Diliman, 25-20, 25-18, 25-16.
The Lady Baby Falcons turned the third set around after trailing 12-14, capitalizing on six straight points largely due to FEU-D errors to take control.
From there, Adamson kept the Lady Baby Tamaraws in check, conceding only two more points while going on another six-point run, capped by an ace from Francheska Adem to seal the win.
“I’m proud sa mga bata. I’m happy sa first game nila. Kumbaga ‘yung iba, bago pa maglaro. So ‘yun lang, may mga kailangan lang din namin trabahuhin, ‘yung mga lapses namin for today. Pero unti-unti, kumbaga sa second game we need to adjust,” said Adamson head coach JP Yude.
Ellaine Gonzalvo, last season’s Rookie of the Year, powered Adamson with 18 points off 14 kills, three aces, and a block. Francheska Adem added 12 markers, while Elaine Garces contributed 14 excellent sets in the 71-minute duel.
FEU-D drew its best output from Nigerian blocker Ifunanya Udeagbala, who finished with 10 points.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Earlier, University of the Philippines Integrated School spoiled the return of University of the East to girls’ volleyball, cruising to a 25-23, 25-11, 25-16 win in 64 minutes.
UPIS firmly took control in the third set, breaking away with a 9-2 lead behind a five-point scoring run highlighted by two service aces from Anya Callo.
From there, the Junior Fighting Maroons piled on points from the service line and capitalized on UE’s miscues.
A tip from Callo pushed them to match point before Rizza Canonizado closed it out with an ace.
Nina Abad and Elisha Capus led the scoring with 11 points apiece, with Abad delivering all from attacks and Capus contributing seven kills.
Callo added 10 markers, five of them aces, while Canonizado orchestrated the offense with 13 excellent sets and five aces of her own.
The Junior Lady Warriors last saw action in Season 81, finishing sixth in the standings, with their last victory also coming against the Junior Fighting Maroons.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Later that day, last season’s fifth-place finishers, De La Salle Zobel, opened their campaign with a statement, downing Ateneo de Manila University, 25-16, 25-14, 25-20.
Aislinn Alemaña sparked the Junior Lady Spikers with seven points, while Sabine Valdez and Kylie Celada matched each other with six points apiece.
