Lady Spikers bounce back, force Game 3

Games today (UE Caloocan sand court)

9 a.m. – UST vs NU (Men’s Finals Game 3)

9:30 a.m. – DLSU vs UST (Women’s Finals, Game 3)

MANILA, Philippines - La Salle dealt University of Santo Tomas its first loss as the Lady Spikers kept their title hopes alive with a 16-21, 22-20, 18-16 win yesterday in the UAAP women’s beach volleyball tournament at the UE Caloocan sand court.

Cyd Demecillo scored the game’s last two points after the Tigresses wasted several opportunities to clinch the victory and wrap up the championship.

UST, which holds a tremendous thrice-to-beat advantage after sweeping the seven-game eliminations, seeks to close it out in Game 3 set at 9:30 a.m. today.

But another La Salle victory would send the women’s series to a deciding Game 4 which is scheduled an hour later.

Only two schools – University of the Philippines women’s table tennis team and Ateneo women’s volleyball squad – have overcame the thrice-to-beat disadvantage to win the title.  Both teams did the improbable possible last season.

In the opener, the Tigresses extended their winning streak to eight with a  21-15, 25-23 win over the Lady Spikers, with rookie Rica Rivera ending the match with a service ace.

UST is gunning for a third title to tie Adamson University as the winningest squad, while La Salle is aiming for its first-ever crown at the sand court. The Lady Spikers previous best finish was second place behind the Lady Falcons in 2010.

In the men’s finals, defending champion NU and UST split their two matches to bring the best-of-three series to a deciding Game 3.

The Bulldogs won the opener, 15-21, 21-18, 17-15, but the Growling Tigers tied at one game apiece with a 23-21, 21-16 victory.

Game 3 is also set today at 9 a.m.