UST, UP draw semis first blood

Tigresses (from left) Milena Alessandrini, Tin Francisco, and Eya Laure scuttle the plans of Lycha Ebon and the Lady
Tamaraws. —SHERWIN VARDELEON

University of Santo Tomas and University of the Philippines rammed their respective opponents Wednesday to move closer to a championship duel.

UST bucked a sluggish opening set to demolish Far Eastern U even as UP popped Adamson’s bubble to move within a win of the Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference finals at FilOil Flying V Centre.

The Tigresses fashioned out a 16-25, 26-24, 25-18, 25-23 triumph over the Lady Tamaraws in their best-of-three semifinals series.

Earlier, UP scored a rousing 24-26, 25-19, 25-22, 25-20 victory over erstwhile unbeaten Adamson.

Eya Laure topscored with 19 points for the Tigresses, who are aiming to win their first title here since 2010.

“Now we are communicating well inside the court and play more relaxed, and we responded better to the situation in the court,” said Laure in Filipino.

Marian Alisa Buitre dominated with 25 points for the Lady Maroons who took advantage of the Lady Falcons’ tendency to relax.