UP thwarts UST in battle of V-L leaders

UNIVERSITY of the Philippines played erratic all game but delivered when it mattered to stay unbeaten in three games in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Collegiate Conference last night at Philsports Arena.

Banking on their young guns anew, the Lady Maroons outlasted University of Santo Tomas, 25-19, 13-25, 25-23, 16-25, 15-6, to claim the solo Group B lead.

Isa Molde, the UAAP Rookie of the Year, unloaded 16 points and Justine Dorog added 14 for the Lady Maroons, who zoomed to an 11-5 advantage in the final frame.

The Tigresses absorbed their first lost in three outings.

San Beda ended its campaign with a win after turning back St. Benilde, 25-16, 25-21,25-20, in the duel between also-rans.

Guest player Janine Marciano and Francesca Racraquin teamed up for 30 points as the Lady Red Spikers snapped a three-game skid.

In men’s action, Ateneo dashed National College of Business and Arts’ hopes of a comeback.

Quick to adjust, the Blue Eagles overcame the Wildcats’ gritty stand in the third set to hack out a 25-20, 25-16, 28-26 victory in the Spikers’ Turf Season 2 Collegiate Conference.

Ateneo star Marck Espejo fired all but one of his 12 points on attacks as the defending champions stayed unbeaten in three games in Group B.

Russian-American Antony Paul Koyfman also delivered eight kills and three blocks in an 11-point outing.

“It’s about adjusting defensively, and we did, especially in the third set,” said Ateneo coach Oliver Almadro after the Eagles clipped the Wildcats in the extended third frame.

The triumph kept the Eagles on track of nailing one of the Final Four berths, which will be given to the top two teams of each group.

In Group A, Far Eastern University also boosted its semifinal bid at 2-1 after a 25-19, 25-16, 25-23 sweep of Philippine Merchant Marine School.

Greg Dolor, last conference’s Most Valuable Player, topscored with 12 and Richard Solis had 10 points for the Tamaraws.

Both the Wildcats and the Mariners remained winless in three outings.