Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
ANTIPOLO CITY—University of the Philippines started off its second round campaign the best way possible as it repeated over defending champion De La Salle, 25-16, 26-24, 25-19, in the UAAP Season 81 women’s volleyball tournament Sunday at Ynares Center here.
The Lady Maroons are the first team to sweep the Lady Spikers in a season since Ateneo did the feat in Season 77.
UP’s win resulted to a massive four-way tie for the second spot in the standings with La Salle, University of Santo Tomas, and Far Eastern University sharing an identical records of 5-3.
The Lady Maroons scored four unanswered points to create some leeway, 21-16, late in the third set that featured one crucial error and a gutsy move courtesy of Isa Molde.
Lourdes Clemente went to the service line amid a boisterous atmosphere but her serve never even touched the net with the ball going straight below the nylon putting UP at the 24-19 match point.
Molde then skied over the block for the booming kill that swept the Lady Maroons’ season series with the Lady Spikers.
Despite the big win, UP head coach Godfrey Okumu said the Lady Maroons have yet to get better.
“The peak of UP? No. I feel like there’s more to come and we can still play better and it’s just a matter of time but again it was a good game so it’s our lucky day today,” said Okumu.
Diana Carlos led UP’s offense with 13 points while Molde added 11 but it wasn’t much the Lady Maroons’ firepower that doomed La Salle.
The Lady Spikers, who had 11 points from captain Desiree Cheng, committed 37 errors and that is the worst mark they’ve had this season.
La Salle’s three losses also tied the Lady Spikers’ mark in Season 79 when they finished 11-3 in the season.