National University regrouped after giving up the second set to topple University of the Philippines, 25-21, 30-32, 25-17, 25-19, for a bounce back win in the UAAP Season 86 Women’s Volleyball Tournament at the SMART Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.
The Lady Bulldogs improved to 6-2 to stay at third while pushing the Fighting Maroons back to the losing column at 1-7.
“Yung UP talagang lumaban po sila and talagang ipinakita po nila kung ano yung kaya nilang gawin against us,” said Season 84 MVP Bella Belen, who unleashed 21 points, 14 receptions, and eight digs.
“Sa team po namin slow start kami at yung utak ng team kahit sinasabi namin na nakamove on na kami sa pagkatalo sa La Salle, I think meron pa rin talagang slight na hindi pa rin nakamove on,” she added.
The Fighting Maroons tried to fight back in the third with back-to-back points, 15-18, but Lady Bulldogs second-stringers Arah Panique, Myrtle Escanlar, and Aishat Bello joined hands for six straight points to reach match point, 24-15.
UP still managed to score four consecutive points but Bello went for a quick attack to finish the game in two hours and 15 minutes.
“Ginagawa ko naman ito para sa team namin kasi may goal naman kami. Since nag slow start kami, kailangan lang din namin ipulido after pagusapan yung mga kulang,“ said Vange Alinsug after tallying 24 points on 20 attacks, three aces, and a block along with 12 receptions.
Chams Maaya was inserted into the starting lineup and came through with 11 points while captain Erin Pangilinan added nine of her own.
Steph Bustrillo spearheaded the Fighting Maroons with 17 points, while Pling Baclay continued to impress with 11 points including nine blocks, eclipsing the season-high seven she set last game.
Baclay flirted with the league record of 11 blocks set by Ateneo’s Maddie Madayag set exactly five years ago Wednesday in a five-set win over University of Santo Tomas.
Both will return on Sunday, still at the historic Big Dome.
NU will face first round tormentor University of Santo Tomas in the main game at 4 p.m. while UP will tangle with Ateneo de Manila University at 2 p.m.
