The team with the championship heart extinguished the squad that boasted championship experience.
University of the Philippines, fast embracing the style of Kenyan coach Godfrey Okumu, pulled the rug from under Far Eastern U, 14-25, 22-25, 26-24, 25-18, 15-5, on Sunday to move one win shy of the Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference title.
The Lady Tamaraws charged to the match with a confident gait to take the first two sets in Game 1 of the best-of-three final series at Filoil Flying V Centre.
UP, a finals first-timer, can end the series this Wednesday.
Roselyn Rosier, who turns 20 on Monday, scored 15 points for UP, while Isa Molde had 16.
“It calms me down seeing my teammates help me out,” said Rosier.
In the men’s final, Bryan Bagunas and Madzian Gampong had 16 points apiece as defending champion National U also won Game 1 over University of Santo Tomas, 21-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-17.
“We adjusted and forced UST to lose reception,” said NU coach Dante Alinsunurin.
In the matches for third place, FEU frustrated Adamson, 20-25, 23-25, 29-27, 25-16, 15-10, in the men’s side.
The women’s team of UST then beat Adamson, 25-20,
27-29, 13-25, 25-19, 17-15.