Lady Maroons bounce back, crush Dolphins in V-League

MANILA, Philippines - University of the Philippines overpowered Phl Coast Guard, 25-10, 25-19, 25-15, yesterday to rebound from its opening game setback to Customs in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Reinforced Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Diana Carlos uncorked a match-high 19 points, including 14 attack points and two on blocks, to help propel the Lady Maroons to their 65-minute romp and get back into early contention in the season-ending conference.

The win made up for UP’s so-so performance when it fell to an Alyssa Valdez-led Bureau of Customs, 23-25, 18-25, 22-25, last Monday.

“This (win) is a big morale-boost for us,” said Carlos.

The Lady Dolphins fell to their third straight defeat in the tournament sponsored by Shakey’s and backed by Mikasa as official ball and Accel as official outfitter.

Nicole Tiamzon backed Carlos with 10 hits while skipper Kathy Bersola added nine points and six others chipped in three hits or more for the third placers in the recent Collegiate Conference.

UP unleashed a 42-spike game, more than doubling Coast Guard’s output while pouncing on the Lady Dolphins’ poor service reception to fire seven aces.

Grenlen Malapit and Michael Caraan led Coast Guard with a combined nine-point output.

Earlier, Instituto Estetico Manila turned back Champion Supra, 20-25, 25-23, 25-23, 22-25, 15-10, to even its card to 1-1 in the Spikers Turf Season 2 Reinforced Conference.

Jason Canlas and Edan Canlas took charge in the decider as the Phoenix Volley Masters broke loose from a tight duel that featured eight deadlocks, seizing a 14-9 lead en route to victory.

It was a big bounce-back win for IEM, which dropped its opening day match to defending champion Cignal TV.  The high-leaping 5-9 Jason Canlas, coming off as a replacement for the injured Jerome Sarmiento, unleashed a kill into the center court after an off-the-block hit by Champion Supra’s Joven Camaganakan to close out the thrilling match marked by 18 ties.

Three other IEM players turned in double-digit scores with Michael Zamore scoring 12 points and Edan Canlas and newcomer Daryl Valenzuela chipping in 11 hits each.

The win thus installed IEM at fourth spot in the six-team field jointly led by Cignal, Open Conference titlist Philippine Air Force and Philippine Army with 1-0 cards.

Champion Surplus, parading seven players from De La Salle University and the core of the disbanded Sta. Elena Construction, is at 0-1.