MAIKA Ortiz of UST (right) tries to keep the ball in play against Jennifer Manzano of DLS-D in yesterday’s game. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
THE TOWERING Santiago sisters proved too much as National University trounced Adamson, 16-25, 25-14, 25-22, 25-15, yesterday to grab the solo Group B lead in the Shakey’s V-League Season 10 at Filoil Flying V Arena.
The 6-foot-2 Dindin Santiago shone with 14 hits, two blocks and four service aces in a 20-point performance that lifted the Lady Bulldogs to a 2-0 start.
But Dindin needed huge support from younger sister and 6-4 Jaja, and Myla Pablo in the Lady Bulldogs’ unexpected rout of the Lady Falcons in two of the last three frames.
“It’s good to have Jaja on court, but I’m still guiding her because she’s younger,” said Dindin. “Our defense helped us win the game. We were always helping each other out.”
Earlier, University of Santo Tomas rebounded from an opening-day loss with a straight-set triumph over De La Salle Dasmariñas, 25-23, 25-23, 25-20.
Pamela Lastimosa led the Tigresses with 15 points built on 12 attacks and three blocks, while the veteran Aiza Maizo had three service aces to share scoring honors.
An emphatic Dindin Santiago kill wrapped up the final frame, 25-15, where the Lady Bulldogs jumped to a 9-1 start and pulled away at 21-11.
Pablo finished with 16 points, 13 coming off kills, while Jaja Santiago chipped in 10 points for the Lady Bulldogs, who dealt the Lady Falcons their first loss in two outings.
The Lady Bulldogs, who recovered from a set down, 16-25, also had Rubie de Leon coming through in the second frame where they stretched an early 15-10 lead to 21-13.
Maika Ortiz and Carmela Tunay—whose block capped a huge 10-1 UST comeback in the third set—teamed up for 23 markers in the win that foiled the Lady Patriots’ bid to join Group A leader Ateneo (2-0).
The Tigresses, who surprisingly absorbed a straight-sets defeat against the Lady Eagles in the opener, wound up tying their victims at 1-1.