Lady Archers win away from volley title

MANILA, Philippines - De La Salle University outsteadied University of Santo Tomas in a nail-biting five-setter, 25-18, 25-20, 19-25, 16-25, 15-10, to draw first blood in the UAAP Season 73 women’s volleyball title series at the Arena yesterday.

Jacqueline Alarca and Cha Cruz delivered the key points against the error-prone Tigresses in the deciding fifth as the Lady Archers moved a win away from dethroning the Thomasians, who were hurt by the injury (cramps) suffered by Maruja Banaticla in the fourth.

Alarca paced DLSU with 19 points, 14 off attacks and four coming off the serve, while Abigail Marano (five blocks), Michelle Gumabao (two blocks) and Stephanie Mercado (13 attacks) added 13 apiece.

Veteran Aiza Maizo punched in 20 markers (17 hits) and Banaticla (four aces) limped away with 19 for defending champion UST.

DLSU moved in for the kill when Alarca punched in the leather for 11-9 cushion, which was followed up by back-to-back attacks from skipper Cruz and an error by Aiza Maizo that put the Taft-based squad a point away from clinching the match.

Maizo got the point in the next play but the UST yielded match point with an error by Verlyn Bernal.

The Lady Archers will go for a sweep of best-of-three title series on Saturday, also at the Arena.

Meanwhile, the UST Tigers gained the headstart in their own title duel with Far Eastern U, 20-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-25, to inch closer to a “four-peat.”