1 week Ago By JR Isaga
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rapplerAds.displayAd( "mobile-middle-1" );MANILA, Philippines – With nothing to lose but everything to gain in their UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament run, the giant-killing UP Fighting Maroons toppled another league pillar in the La Salle Lady Spikers off a stunning 26-24, 18-25, 19-25, 25-22, 16-14 turnaround on Sunday, April 13.With the win to go up to a 6-6 record, UP not only saved its Final Four bid, but also halted the advances of No.
2 La Salle (8-4), No. 3 UST (8-4), and No. 4 (8-5) into guaranteed semifinals berths.
The nail-biting victory marks the fourth time in five instances that the Maroons won in five sets this season alone.One-and-done standout spiker Kassy Doering made the fifth set her personal playground with 5 of her 15 points off 12 attacks and 3 blocks coming from the deciding frame alone, as setter Jaz Manguilimotan tossed 24 excellent sets and helped five of her teammates to at least 9 points in the cardiac affair.Joan Monares topscored the winning cause with 16 points, and just like in UP’s five-set shocker of top-ranked NU, delivered the match-winning kill to top up her line that also had 7 digs and 5 excellent receptions.
Multiple big stat lines went down the drain for La Salle in a stunning setback that saw a 24-20 deficit in the fourth set and a 10-5 hole in the fifth, with Shevana Laput posting a game-high 27 points on 20 attacks, 4 blocks, and 3 aces with 9 digs, and rookie setter Mikole Reyes tallying 30 excellent sets.Angel Canino was not far behind with 25 points on 22 attacks, 2 blocks, and 1 ace as Lyka de Leon anchored the defensive end of the losing cause with 23 excellent receptions and 22 digs.Despite the win, UP can no longer afford any losses as it next takes on No.
3 UST after a 10-day Holy Week break on April 23 in a season-defining match.In a stroke of scheduling coincidence, one Final Four berth will be decided on April 26 when La Salle comes back as it takes on No. 4 FEU for the right to break an 8-win tie and enter the semifinals.
– Rappler.com.
