By: Justine Anne Gaerlan
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY Nazareth School secured the first twice-to-beat advantage in the UAAP Season 87 High School Girls’ Volleyball Tournament after dominating the University of the Philippines Integrated School in straight sets, 25-4, 25-12, 25-7, on Saturday at the Paco Arena in Manila.
It was a commanding win for the Lady Bullpups, holding the Fighting Maroons down to just four points in the opening frame and seven in the deciding set, needing just 52 minutes to notch their 10th win in 11 games.
NUNS finished the set with a dominant five-point run, capped off by Cheska Peñol’s back-to-back service aces.
A block by Hilalhia Alberto brought the Lady Bullpups to match point, and Peñol sealed the victory with yet another ace.
“Malaking bagay ‘yun lalo na sa next game namin and last game for eliminations. Preparation namin ‘yun for last game ng eliminations lalo na ngayon patapos na rin ‘yung UAAP, parang post-[season] na, Final Four,” said Lady Bullpups head coach Karl Dimaculangan.
“Hoping na magtuloy-tuloy and mag-improve pa ‘yung buong team,” added the UAAP Season 84 Women’s Volleyball champion coach.
Denesse Daylisan, Diza Berayo, and Harlyn Serneche led NUNS’ offense.
Daylisan scored 11 points from nine attacks, while Serneche, who only played in the first two sets, and Berayo each contributed 10 points.
Meanwhile, the battle for the second playoff incentive intensified with Adamson University, University of Santo Tomas, and Far Eastern University-Diliman all vying for the slot.
The Baby Falcons avenged their first round loss to the Junior Golden Tigresses with a 25-16, 16-25, 25-12, 21-25, 15-10 triumph while the Baby Lady Tamaraws walloped the De La Salle-Zobel Junior Lady Spikers, 25-15, 25-12, 25-20.
Adamson, UST, and FEU-Diliman are now tied for second to fourth with identical 8-3 records with just a game left in the elimination round.
UST will take on NUNS, Adamson squares off against FEU-D, while DLSZ faces Ateneo on Wednesday at the Filoil Ecooil Centre.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
In the epic clash between the Falcons and the Tigresses, both teams exchanged attacks in the decider with the score tied several times.
At 8-all, a four-touch violation by UST and a service ace by Ellaine Gonzalvo gave Adamson a narrow 10-8 lead.
The Baby Falcons then went on a 3-0 run, sparked by a Sam Cantada attack, before Abby Segui sealed the victory with two aces.
“So ‘yung mga ginawa namin, kumbaga sabi ko nga sa kanila, sa training din namin, na kailangan mas always focused sa lahat ng ginagawa, sa pinag-aralan namin sa UST,” said Adamson head coach JP Yude, the concurrent head coach of the school’s women’s volleyball team. “Nag-adjust kami sa blockings namin and then ‘yung pasa namin hindi pa namin ma-consistent pero we praise God na nalampasan namin ‘yung ganung pagsubok kasi sa second set, ganun, at tsaka fourth set.
“End game, ganun ‘yung nangyari pero at the same time, we got the win and ‘yung mga adjustment din namin sa service, ‘yun din ‘yung in-adjust namin during training [after] noong [first] game na nakalaban namin sila,” the former Soaring Falcon added.
Cantada was the standout performer for Adamson with 21 points from 18 attacks in the thrilling 1-hour and 50-minute match.
Segui and Gonzalvo contributed 17 points each, while Sofia Arasan orchestrated the offense with 12 excellent sets.
Adamson peppered UST with 60 converted attacks compared to just 38 for UST. It was Adamson’s 38 errors that kept UST in the game.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Jai Adrao led UST in the loss with 11 points. Avril Bron and Lianne Penuliar added 10 and nine points, respectively
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Aleah Devosora was the star for the Lady Baby Tamaraws, contributing 12 points, including nine attacks and two blocks, in the 65-minute match.
Raine Alonzo and Sheila Pascual supported with 11 and 10 points, respectively, while Sheena Cafe ran the offense with 10 excellent sets.
La Salle fell to 3-8 while UPIS finished its campaign with a 2-10 record.
