MANILA, Philippines - Far Eastern U annexed its fourth straight victory after back-to-back setbacks, holding off Perpetual Help, 25-23, 26-24, 25-22, to advance to the quarterfinal round of the Shakey’s V-League Season 7 second conference at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.
Skipper Cherry Vivas fired 13 hits, including four blocks, while guest players Michelle Carolino and Rachel Ann Daquis backed her with 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Lady Tams, who joined the San Sebastian Lady Stags and Adamson Lady Falcons in the next round.
The Tams came through with timely hits from quick and set-up plays to foil the Lady Altas in each of the three sets, including in the second when the latter dragged them into an extended match.
But the Lady Altas just couldn’t deliver when it mattered most, virtually dropping out of the quarterfinal race with a 1-5 card.
It was FEU’s fourth straight win after losing to Ateneo and Lyceum in the first two playdates in the season-ending conference sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.
FEU raced to an 11-5 lead in the third frame but Perpetual struck back with six straight points, including three kills from April Sartin, to draw level.
But Vivas and Carolino took charge to foil any effort of the Lady Altas to extend the match to another set.
Sandra Delos Santos and guest player Nica Guliman combined for 15 hits for Perpetual Help, which hopes to upend Lyceum on Sunday and pray National U drop its remaining two games to stay in the hunt for a playoff for the last quarterfinal berth in the league organized by Sports Vision and backed by Accel, Mikasa and Excelroof.
So confident were the Lady Tams that guest player and top hitter Daquis didn’t need to see action in the third after ramming in 10 attacks.
No Altas churned out a double-digit output but Perpetual Help kept the game close with its gutsy plays.
Norie Diaz had six hits, while Ronerry dela Cruz and Claire Bulatao each scored four points for the Altas, who matched the Tams’ five service aces but were outhit, 42-32, in one hour and 18 minutes of action.