UAAP: UP keeps focus on game, downs UE in women’s volleyball

UP Fighting Maroons. UAAP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines-University of the Philippines picked up its first win by defeating University of the East, 22-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-20, on Sunday at the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament, unshaken by the turmoil that recently bugged the team.

Nina Ytang was an intimidating presence on the floor, scattering 20 points on 12 kills apart from a career-high seven blocks and an ace that helped pull the Lady Maroons out of a two-game hole.

Stephanie Bustrillo contributed 16 markers to UP’s cause while Alyssa Bertolano and Abi Goc added 10 and nine points each as they overcame a record 16 errors in the final set.

“Those errors pose a big problem and we will work on limiting them. This is a part of a process that we need to go through,” said UP coach Shaq Delos Santos after the Lady Maroons committed a total of 37 miscues against UE’s 30.

Some members of the UP women’s volley squad reportedly charged their team manager of mismanagement and asked to reinstate Nowhere To Go But UP Foundation, Inc. in supervising their affairs.

In a petition signed by 21 players that recently circulated online, they raised several issues including the delayed and reduced monthly allowance, unsettled dormitory balance, small serving of food without packaging and utensils, and promised travel expenses that have not been reimbursed since January 2022.

But the chaos off the court hardly affected the Lady Maroons one bit in delivering the blow to the Lady Red Warriors.

UP started out on the wrong foot, giving up the first set before going all the way over the next three sets with Bertolano sealing the outcome with a crosscourt smash in the fourth.

“We still have to jell inside the court and take care of every point. We will have to work for it with the guidance of the coaches,” said Goc.

Janeca Lana scored 14 attacks and Vanessa Bangayan had 13 points, 12 of them powerful kills, for the winless Lady Warriors, who dropped their third straight match.