UP stuns La Salle in 5 sets, gets share of top spot

UP Lady Maroons. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—University of the Philippines pulled off a stunner and stopped De La Salle’s winning streak with a five-set win, 21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 20-25, 15-12, the UAAP Season 81 women’s volleyball tournament Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Justine Dorog said in the post-game press conference that their win needed heart, and play with heart they did.

Stuck in a fifth set tit-for-tat until the 8-8 tie, the Lady Maroons managed to get a vital three-point lead, 11-8, after Jessma Ramos’ ace.

Those three points of separation was of utter umportance for the Lady Maroons as they eventually held on to win their first game against the Lady Spikers since the first round of Season 79.

Mae Luna and Jolina Dela Cruz may have exchanged kills that tied the set at 12-all, but the Lady Maroons had late tricks hidden in their bag.

Diana Carlos found the opening to give UP the 13-12 lead, just before Luna overshot her attempt that put the Lady Maroons at the 14-12 match point.

Dorog then ended it all with a soft off speed kill for the win that put the Lady Maroons in a share of the top spot with the Lady Spikers with 3-1 records.

“The way you saw the game, it was a game of minds, courage, and aggressiveness, and at the end of it all I believe we are more aggressive than our opponents and that’s why we were able to win,” said UP head coach Godfrey Okumu.

“La Salle is a strong team and they’re not a team that’s easy to beat, they’re strong because their discipline. So I think we’re more aggressive than them tonight.”