Lady Maroons turn back Red Spikers

Alisa Buitre (left) and Isa Molde underscore the UP Lady Maroons solid blocking against the San Beda Red Spikers on their way to a three-set romp.

University of the Philippines steadied a shaky start in the third set and frustrated San Beda, 25-16, 25-19, 25-20, to boost its Final Four bid in Group B of the Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference at Filoil Flying V Centre yesterday.

The Lady Maroons fashioned out the victory in a little over an hour, with most of that time spent fighting off a letdown in the third set before completing the shutout.

UP thus notched its third straight win after dropping a five-setter to unbeaten group leader Adamson Lady Falcons (3-0).

The victory tied UP with idle Arellano U at 3-1 as the Lady Maroons stayed in the hunt for one of the semifinal berths in the two-division tournament serving as the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

Both teams will dispute that semifinal slot on Sept. 30.

The Lady Maroons also virtually knocked the Red Spikers (2-2) off the race going into the last four playdates of the elimination round.

The Red Spikers dropped UP in a 3-8 hole in the third set, but Diana Carlos, Isa Molde and Justine Dorog provided the strong finish the Lady Maroons needed to seal the victory.