FEU stuns defending V-League champ NU

MANILA, Philippines — The team that barely made it to the playoffs incredibly inched its way closer to the top.

Confident even as the underdog, Far Eastern University stunned National University in straight sets, 26-24, 26-24, 25-22, to move within a win of a first championship in the Shakey’s V-League Season 11 First Conference Sunday at Filoil Flying V Arena.

Rachel Daquis delivered another super performance, drilling a game-high 19 points built on 11 attacks, three blocks and five of the team’s service aces.

“We got it through patience,” FEU coach Shaq delos Santos after his Lady Tams triumphed in the tightly-fought match against the defending champion Lady Bulldogs.

“The players were very confident. Even when we were down in the third, I told them to be patient. Momentum is on our side.”

Bernadette Pons also bucked a sprained ankle to impressively tally 14 hits, including the last two points that wrapped up Game 1 for the Lady Tamaraws.

“She really wanted to play even when I told her that she could sit it out,” said Delos Santos.

The Lady Tams, who clinched the last quarterfinal berth and came back from a 0-1 series deficit in the semifinals, try to complete their unlikely title romp in Game 2 of the best-of-three series on Sunday also in San Juan.

NU star Dindin Santiago, who captured her second Most Valuable Player award right before the match, rued the loss as the Lady Bulldogs came out strong in all three sets only to fizzle in the endgame.

“We lacked communication,” said Santiago after NU failed to extend the game despite an 8-1 advantage in the third set.

Earlier, Adamson moved closer to nailing third place after downing University of Santo Tomas, 25-17, 25-23, 18-25, 25-19, in their own best-of-three encounter. With a report from Paul Kennedy A. Lintag, Contributor