MANILA – National University Lady Bulldogs hacked out a 26-24, 25-16, 25-22 sweep over Adamson University Lady Bulldogs for a share of second place in the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball on Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Reigning MVP Mhicaela Belen delivered 20 points and 11 excellent receptions while Alyssa Solomon and Vange Alinsug dropped 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Lady Bulldogs.
NU libero Jennifer Nierva and Negrense Shaira Jardio also performed with the former tallying 12 receptions and 10 digs while the latter managed nine digs as the Lady Bulldogs improved to 7-3.
Ahead by just a point in the second frame, 15-14, the defending champions Lady Bulldogs limited the Lady Falcons to just two points the rest of the way for the commanding 2-0 set advantage.
With the Lady Bulldogs clinging to a 23-17 lead late in the third, Adamson’s Kate Santiago drilled two straight hits before Louie Romero nailed an ace to pull the Lady Falcons within one, 22-23, but Belen scored a crosscourt kill and an off-the-block spike for the win.
Lady Falcons scorers Trisha Tubu and Kate Santiago were held to just nine and six points, respectively as they suffered their second defeat in as many games against the Lady Bulldogs this season.
Meanwhile, Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles kept its Final Four hopes alive after a 25-20, 25-17, 25-22 straight-set beating of also-ran University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.
After lopsided wins in the first two sets, the Blue Eagles were tested in the third frame as they cling to a 18-17 before pulling to a 24-17 lead behind hits by Vanessa Gandler, Lyann De Guzman, and Faith Nisperos.
Ateneo, however, committed three straight errors followed by back-to-back hits by UP’s Marianne Sotomil and Alyssa Bertolano to cut it to 22-24 but a service error by Sotomil in the ensuing play gave the Blue Eagles the victory.
Nisperos tallied 17 kills and seven digs to lead the Blue Eagles while Gandler and De Guzman chimed in nine and eight points, respectively. They moved up to sixth place with a 4-6 record./PN
