AdU blanks UST; La Salle nears sweep

MANILA, Philippines - Adamson blanked UST, 5-0, in women’s softball while La Salle trounced National U in three in women’s volleyball to move within a win of sweeping their respective elims assignments in UAAP Season 74 yesterday.

The Lady Falcons dominated the Tigresses at the Rizal Memorial Stadium to post their ninth straight victory – just a win closer to an outright title via sweep and match their winning run last season.

Adamson will only have to beat University of the Philippines on Saturday. The UP clouters bowed to the UE side, 0-9, also yesterday.

The Lady Falcons shut out the Lady Maroons, 5-0, in the first round.

The loss was UP’s seventh in nine games, while UE improved to 6-3. UST dropped to 4-4 ahead of Ateneo (2-7), which sent La Salle to its ninth straight loss, 8-3, yesterday.

At the San Juan Arena, La Salle swept NU, 25-16, 25-11, 25-18, with Abigail Maraño scoring 15 hits, including two blocks, and rookie Ara Galang and Michelle Gumabao adding 12 hits each.

It was the Green Archers’ 13th straight victory.

Only arch rival Ateneo stand in the way of an Archers’sweep. The Lady Eagles notched their 11th victory in 13 games, their best elimination round record in 33 seasons in the league, following a 25-8, 25-23, 25-18 win over UP.

And the Lady Eagles are determined to foil the Lady Archers, whom they face in the last day of eliminations on Sunday.

In the men’s division, Jayson Ramos scored 12 hits as “five-peat” seeking UST (10-3) moved closer to claiming a twice-to-beat edge in the semifinals by downing Ateneo (1-12), 25-20, 25-21, 25-14.

Adamson (9-4), paced by Armando Maleon with 18 points, clinched the third Final Four berth by booting out UP (6-7), 27-25, 19-25, 25-19, 18-25, 15-6.