Tigresses close in on crown
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas subdued gritty Adamson University in four sets yesterday 25-15, 19-25, 25-22, 25-21 and moved on the threshold of sweeping the two titles up for grabs in the Shakey’s V League Season 6 at The Arena in San Juan.
Using their vaunted defense to the hilt, the Tigresses came up with a season-high 21 blocks in the best-of-three series opener, the last three coming in the fourth set from Maika Angela Ortiz and guest player Roxanne Pimentel who prevented Adamson’s Angela Benting from turning the game around.
UST’s height advantage over the stockier Lady Falcons also became apparent as Aiza Maizo and Ortiz came out with six and five blocks each to limit the output of Benting, Adamson’s top gun, to a mere 11 points.
Despite the win, however, coach Shaq delos Santos knows the Lady Falcons will try hard to bounce back in Game 2 tomorrow.
"They may be small, but they are crafty. You wouldn’t know what they’re up to," said Delos Santos, whose charges beat SSC to bag the first conference crown last June.
Ma. Angeli Tabaquero led UST’s scorers with 12 points while rookie Maruja Banaticla added nine.
Earlier, Far Eastern University outlasted San Sebastian College 25-22, 25-13, 20-25, 12-25, 15-13 and moved within a win of clinching third.
Rachel Ann Daquis showed her killer instinct with three successive kills as the Lady Tams battled back from a 12-13 deficit and take the fifth set.
The Lady Tamaraws blew hot in the first two sets but turned cold and lost control in the third and fourth sets with numerous reception errors and service miscues.