MANILA, Philippines -- University of Santo Tomas handed Ateneo its first defeat of the season with a shock 18-25, 25-16, 25-23, 25-22 victory Sunday to force a sudden death match for the last finals slot in the Shakey's V-League Season 12-Collegiate Conference before a stunned crowd at The Arena in San Juan City.
EJ Laure paced her team with 17 hits while Carmela Tunay unloaded 15 including the powerful spike that sealed the Tigresses the Game Two victory and levelled the best-of-three semifinal series at one game apiece.
UST and Ateneo will face off one last time in the decider at 4 p.m. Wednesday with the winner facing National University in the best-of-three championship round starting on Sunday.
"I just told the players to show some respect to themselves by playing their best," said UST coach Kungfu Reyes.
The win dealt the Lady Eagles their first defeat of the season after sweeping through their first 10 games they capped with an emphatic 27-25, 25-16, 25-17 victory in the series opener Saturday.
It appeared like Ateneo, the reigning back-to-back UAAP champion, is on its way to a sweep when it took command early by taking the first set.
And then Laure, Tunay, Marivic Meneses and Pam Lastimosa took charge, played inspired ball and did what it couldn't in Game One.
"The girls were scrapping to get those balls, they were hustling. They just don't want to give up," said Reyes.