UAAP Volleyball: NU stays alive, faces La Salle next

MANILA, Philippines --  University shrugged off a tough Far Eastern University in the third and fourth set to hammer out a 25-13, 25-17, 25-27, 25-23, to stave off elimination Sunday night in the UAAP Season 77 women's volleyball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

"Maganda ang lamang namin sa third set, nauubos lang kami sa errors. Naiba ang timpla ng setting," said a relieved Lady Bulldogs coach Roger Gorayeb. "Maganda lahat ng first two sets, yung reception, setting at combination ng atake."        

Myla Pablo had an impressive all-around game with 22 points and six digs, while Jaja Santiago had two service aces to finish with 20 hits for the NU

The Lady Bulldogs now improved to 7-3 since Gorayeb took over last January.  

Hurdling the first step-ladder match, up next for NU is twice-to-beat La Salle in the second step-ladder semis match-up.          

The Bulldogs earlier made their third consecutive men's championship appearance, as NU overcame University of Santo Tomas' twice-to-beat semis advantage with a 25-18, 25-23, 25-23 victory.               

The three-peat seeking Bulldogs rallied in the second frame to gain a two-set advantage and sealed only the victory after the Growling Tigers' hitter Romnick Rico committed a service error to close out the game.                 

NU thus will face Ateneo in a rematch of last season's Finals on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Big Dome.             

"Lumabas na talaga yung tunay na game namin. Yan ang hinahanap namin noong second round," said coach Dante Alinsunurin, whose Bulldogs lost three straight late in the eliminations which dropped them out of the Top 2.             

The Lady Tamaraws ended their bid to hurdle another do-or-die game after Bernadette Pons failed to cross her attack at the net.           

FEU, which returned to the post-season after a three-year absence, was leading 23-22 when NU moved closer to match point when Pablo hit a cross court spike for the game's last deadlock and Santiago soared over two blockers to retake the lead.      

The Lady Tamaraws got a lifeline in the third frame after Heather Guino-o forced a 25-25 standoff with a off-speed spike, Geneveve Casugod scored a block and Pons drilled in the set-clinching kill.             

Pons tallied all but one of her 16 points from spikes, Guino-o added 13 hits and libero Tin Agno collected 14 hits in her final game for FEU.            

The third-ranked Lady Bulldogs and the Lady Spikers clash at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with the survivor of the second step-ladder facing the thrice-to-beat Lady Eagles in the title round.           

Peter Torres was rock solid on defense with three blocks to finish with 13 points to lead NU, while Rueben Inaudito also had three blocks for a 12-point effort, and Edwin Tolentino added 12 hits and six digs.      

In their final game for UST, Mark Alfafara, who fired a record 37 points in the opener, had 17 points and six digs, while Rico added 14 markers.