FAR Eastern University refused to wilt under pressure and frustrated Ateneo, 25-21, 27-25, 11-25, 25-18, forcing a playoff for the last Final Four berth in the Shakey’s V-League Season 7 second conference at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan Thursday.
The Lady Tamaraws recovered from a sloppy third set setback as they re-grouped in the fourth to pound out the victory in 1:33 and stay in the hunt for the fourth and last seat in the semifinal round of the league’s season-ending conference.
Lyceum survived National University’s gritty stand and carved out a tough 25-13, 26-24, 25-23 victory to clinch the third semis berth in the first game.
The Lady Pirates finished with a 7-5 slate for third.
Lyceum will face second-ranked Adamson in the best-of-three semifinals in the event organized by Sports Vision and sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.
San Sebastian College-Excelroof will meet the winner of the FEU-Ateneo sudden death duel in a separate semis duel.
Guest player Rachel Daquis and Cherry Vivas, proved steadier, particularly in the first two sets
where they outlasted the Lady Eagles to go 2-up. But Ateneo fought back and dominated the third, pouncing on the Lady Tamaraws’ lethargic play to extend the match, only to be foiled by the resurgent FEU side in the fourth.
The Lady Tamaraws thus tied with the Lady Eagles at the close of the carryover quarterfinal round of the tournament supported by Accel, Mikasa and Excelroof. They dispute the last semis slot at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Daquis matched Thai import’s Surasawadee Boonyuen’s 23-hit effort while Vivas fired 16 points.
Michelle Carolino backed Daquis and Vivas with 11 hits, including three blocks while Monique Tiangco and Wenneth Eulalio combined for 13 points for the Lady Tamaraws.
“Marami kaming errors sa service at sa receive, saka nag-relax sila. Sabi ko sa kanila, kung kaya nating pababain ang moral nila, ngayon pa lang pababain na natin,” said FEU coach Nes Pamilar.
Earlier, Mary Jean Balse and Dahlia Cruz combined for 30 hits while Joy Cases stepped up to fire 12 hits but the Lady Pirates had to walk the tightrope to subdue an also-ran Lady Bulldogs side in one hour and 13 minutes.
Out of it all, NU still went for a victory in a bid to close out their campaign on a winning note but they fell short of their upset bid, losing crucial points at endgame of the last two sets. (TJ)
TITLE HOLDER Adamson moved a win away in claiming the first ‘Final Four’ berth as reigning MVP Angela Benting and Pau Soriano routed National University’s Mervic Mangui and Jennilyn Reyes, 21-8, 21-15, Saturday in the UAAP beach volleyball tournament at the UE Caloocan sand court.
DEFENDING champion Adamson went again thru the wringer before surviving University of Santo Tomas, 15-21, 21-15, 15-4, and remain unscathed in the women’s division of the UAAP beach volleyball tournament Wednesday at the UE Caloocan sand court.
