La Salle’s Aleiah Malaluan. UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–La Salle raced from six points down in the third set to defeat University of the Philippines, 25-21, 25-23, 25-21, on Tuesday and grab a share of second place in the UAAP Season 84 women’s volleyball at Mall of Asia Arena.
Just when the Fighting Maroons were trying to extend the match with a strong showing in the third, Thea Gagate and Aleiah Malaluan combined forces to ensure the Lady Spikers’ victory No. 7.
From a 10-16 deficit, La Salle turned the tables to take a 19-17 lead on back-to-back kill-blocks by Gagate. UP made a last-ditch move, tying 21-21 on a La Salle attack error, but soon Malaluan touched off a four-point windup.
La Salle is tied at second place along with University of Santo Tomas with 7-3 record. The Lady Maroons suffered their second straight defeat for a 4-6 card.
Malaluan topscored with 14 points for La Salle which scored nine kill-blocks that frustrated UP’s attackers.