NATIONAL University Nazareth School bested University of Santo Tomas, 25-20, 26-24, 18-25, 25-23 in the stepladder semifinals to arrange a Finals rematch with Adamson University in the UAAP Season 86 high school girls volleyball tournament Tuesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
The Lady Bullpups, who are seeking a third straight UAAP crown, will go up against the undefeated Baby Falcons in the best-of-three Finals series starting on Thursday at 3 p.m., following Game 2 of the Boys’ Finals.
Adamson, which lost to NUNS in the last two championship duels, jumped straight to the title round after completing a 12-match sweep of the elimination round.
“May halong nerbyos kasi iba kasi ‘yung pinagdaan ng team namin. Sa first round, naka-tatlong losses kami, not really a good record. Pero ang sabi lang namin, tiyagain lang namin ‘to hanggang ma-regain ‘yung tiwala ng bawat isa, ma-formulate ‘yng teamwork,” said NUNS head coach Norman Miguel.
“Kaya ang instruction lang namin nung nagsimula ‘yung stepladder, huwag na nating pag-usapan ‘yung skills. Kung gusto nating mag-retain ‘yung title … kasi naniniwala pa rin kaming nasa kanila pa rin ‘yun eh, meron lang hindi pa na-o-organize,” he added.
The Lady Bullpups needed to fend off the Junior Golden Tigresses in the fourth and final set after the latter cut the deficit to one, 18-19, with a huge Kim Rubin attack, forcing Miguel to call for a timeout.
Qeria Lipat, who started the match for UST, knotted the score at 23 with a powerful kill after a long rally, but reigning MVP Kianne Olango had other plans and sent NUNS to match point. Deneese Daylisan then finished the match for the titleholders with a cross-court kill and sent the side to yet another Final appearance.
The first frame set the tone for the match with last season’s Best Outside Hitter Celine Marsh finding her points to steer the Lady Bullpups into the huge 25-20 win before the squad stopped Season 85 Best Opposite Marga Altea and the rest of UST in the second set for a 2-0 advantage.
A strong 6-2 run at the start of the third fuelled the Junior Golden Tigresses, a lead that extended their fight in the match.
Losing Marsh from the rotation due to an awkward landing at the end of the second set also compounded NUNS’s woes in the third as UST saw Rubin and Altea do their job in front and their middle blockers Jaila Adrao and Iya Penuliar also pound the NUNS’s reception at the service line.
The Lady Bullpups and Olango, though, eventually found their bearings in the fourth and never looked back.
