Lady Eagles turn back Bulldogs

Games on Saturday  Smart Araneta Coliseum)

2 p.m. – AdMu vs NU (men’s finals, Game 1)
4 p.m. – AdMU vs NU (women’s stepladder semis)

MANILA, Philippines - Alyssa Valdez and Ella de Jesus struck in the crucial stretch as Ateneo hacked out a hard-earned 25-17, 12-25, 31-29, 28-26 victory over National U to force a do-or-die match in their UAAP season 76 women’s volleyball stepladder semis yesterday at The Arena in San Juan.

Playing in a no-tomorrow game, Valdez gave it her all and punched in 29 big points while De Jesus unloaded 16, doing most of the damage in the all-important fourth frame as the Lady Eagles brought the semis duel down to a rubber match.

The No. 3 Lady Eagles and the No. 2 Lady Bulldogs will dispute the right to face unbeaten champ La Salle on Saturday at the Big Dome.

“Lahat ng pinaghirapan namin mula sa umpisa nag-pay off sa game na ito (all our hard work from the start of training paid off in this game),” said De Jesus, who scored back-to-back points off the block to seal the win for the underdog Ateneo.

After splitting the first two sets, NU and Ateneo engaged in a thrilling dogfight to settle the issue and determine the rivals of defending champion top seed and thrice-to-best DLSU in the finals.

The Lady Bulldogs threatened to finish off the Lady Eagles in both the third and fourth frames but the Lady Eagles refused to give up in both sets and hacked out a pair of thrillers instead.

Valdez pumped in 13 points as AdMU fought off five set points before prevailing in the third on a freeball by Amy Amohiro and a net infraction by NU skipper Dindin Santiago.

NU once more got to 24 first in the next set but AdMU clawed back from four points down and turned the tables around, with De Jesus delivering the clincher.

Valdez and De Jesus got needed support from Michelle Morente, who scored 12, and libero Den Lazaro who had 13 digs.

Jaja Santiago paced NU with 17 while Dindin added 13.

In men’s play, top seed and defending champion NU Bulldogs made short work of No. 4 Adamson, 25-19, 25-19, 25-18, to book a return trip to the finals.

The Bulldogs will face second-ranked Ateneo in a best-of-three series beginning Saturday, looking to extend their reign against an Eagles side in their first championship appearance in 34 years.

Rueben Inaudito, Edwin Tolentino and Jan Berlin Paglinawan fired a combined 38 points for NU.