UAAP: UP survives UST, climbs to 4th

Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

It didn’t go to a fifth set but did it feel like it.

University of the Philippines came through in the clutch as it overcame a gutsy University of Santo Tomas 25-19, 25-18, 16-25, 32-30, to climb to fourth spot in the UAAP Season 78 women’s volleyball tournament Sunday at San Juan Arena.

Marian Buitre stopped Cherry Ann Rondina with an emphatic block to seal the Lady Maroons’ 3-3 record while the Golden Tigresses fell to 2-4 and to the seventh seed.

Rondina tied the set at 30-all with a down-the-line attack but teammate Chloe Cortez ensuing service went long giving the Lady Maroons the 31-30 match point.

Lady Maroons head coach Jerry Yee was not totally impressed with his team’s showing because he knows the match should not have gone the distance.

“Bata, makulit, matigas ulo, ise-set na lang natin like we normally do para ma i-over, papaluin na lang ng bigs mag drop ball pa (They’re young and stubborn. All they had to do was to spike the ball and not drop it),” Yee said. “Kinakabahan obviously tapos tatanungin mo ‘kinakabahan ka ba?’ Sasagutin ka ‘hindi po,’ tapos ganyan laro (They were nervous obviously but when you ask them, they’ll tell you they’re not. But their game will show otherwise).” 

“We have to practice more,” Yee added.

University of the Philippines had a 24-23 match point after EJ Laure’s miscue but the Lady Maroons’ following possession got a four touches violation before the UST captain atoned for her mistake and gave the Golden Tigresses a 25-24 lead.

Rookie Diana Carlos led UP, which rose to 3-3, with 15 points while veterans Nicole Tiamzon and Kathy Bersola added 15 and 14 points, respectively. 

Laure and Rondina both had a game-high 20 points for UST.