MANILA – De La Salle University Lady Spikers bagged the UAAP volleyball crown for the third straight year after a 26-24, 25-20, 26-24 triumph over Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws in Game 2 of the Season 80 finals last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Kim Dy ended her collegiate career with 18 points, on 15 attacks, two blocks and a service ace, for Lady Spikers, which captured its 11th UAAP women’s volleyball championship title overall.
May Luna, Ilongga Aduke Ogunsaya, Desiree Cheng, and graduating players Mary Joy Baron and Dawn Macandili, who was later named the UAAP Finals MVP, also provided spark for Lady Spikers.
Lady Spikers struggled early in the first set and went down by 5 points before rallying to within 19-20. Lady Tamaraws surged to a 24-21 edge but consecutive points from Dy, Luna and Aduke Ogunsaya turned the tide for Lady Spikers 26-24.
La Salle started strong in the second set and went up by as much as 16-9. FEU clawed its way back to within 17-21 before Luna, Dy, Desiree Cheng and Ogunsaya came up with 4 straight points to give DLSU a 2-0 set edge.
In the third set Lady Spikers broke away from a tight exchange to build a 21-16 lead behind Ogunsaya and Luna before reaching the championship point 24-20.
Lady Tamaraws made its last push to tie the score at 24-all but back-to-back hits by Dy and Ernestine Tiamzon clinched the title for DLSU.
Meanwhile National University Bulldogs ended its three-year wait to regain the men’s volleyball championship after a 25-20, 31-29, 22-25, 33-31 win over Ateneo Blue Eagles in Game 2 of their best-of-three titular showdown.
Finals MVP Bryan Bagunas led the way with 22 points, on 17 attacks, four blocks and a service ace, while James Natividad added 18 markers for Bulldogs, which captured its third UAAP championship overall./PN
