Lady Maroons overcome Red Spikers, bolster PVL semis drive

Games tomorrow (Filoil Flying V Center)

8 a.m. – UP vs FEU (men’s)

10 a.m. – San Beda vs St. Benilde (men’s)

4 p.m. – Jose Rizal vs National U (women’s)

6:30 p.m. –Adamson vs St. Benilde (women’s)

MANILA, Philippines — University of the Philippines checked an early struggle in the third and frustrated San Beda with a 25-16, 25-19, 25-20 victory to boost its Final Four bid in Group B of the Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center yesterday.

The Lady Maroons slackened up a bit in the third frame after dominating the first two sets but put their act together in time to complete the 62-minute sweep and notch their third straight win after dropping a five-setter of a heartbreaker to the unbeaten and group leader Adamson Lady Falcons (3-0).

The victory put UP in step with idle Arellano U at second at 3-1 as the Lady Maroons stayed in the hunt for the one of the semifinal berths in the two-division tournament.

UP and Arellano will dispute the other semis seat on Sept. 30.

The Lady Maroons also virtually knocked the Red Spikers off the race with a 2-2 card heading to the last four playdates of the single round elims.

That early third set trouble enabled the Red Spikers to seize an 8-3 lead but Diana Carlos, Isa Molde and Justine Dorog stepped up and anchored the Lady Maroons big comeback although they needed a strong finishing kick to finish off their Mendiola-based rivals.

The Red Spikers pulled to within, 19-21, but a San Beda miscue and a Dorog lucky hit off the net gave the Lady Maroons another four-point cushion and Carlos traded hits with Jiezela Viray before the latter hit her serve into the net, handing the win to the Diliman-based school.

Skipper Carlos topscored with 14 hits, including 12 kills.  Molde added 12 markers  and Dorog  nine while Maristela Layug chipped in seven hits as the Lady Maroons delivered 38 attack points, 16 more than the Red Spikers.

UP also dominated the net upfront, producing nine blocks as against San Beda’s three with Molde and setter Rose Cailing combining for five.

Cailing also came up with all but one of the team’s 24 excellent sets although San Beda counterpart Rebecca Cueva also nearly matched that effort with 22.

Earlier, first semifinalist Ateneo picked up its sixth straight win, dominating La Salle, 25-15, 25-20, 25-22, in the men’s side of the country’s premier league backed by Mikasa and Asics.

With Marck Espejo and Gian Glorioso combining for 27 hits, the Eagles lorded it over in spikes, 43-27, and blocks, 10-6, and went on to dispose of their archrivals in 63 minutes to move a win closer to a sweep of the single round elims.

The Archers dropped to solo fourth at 3-3, just ahead of UST (2-3).

National U, meanwhile, boosted its Final Four drive with a 25-13, 24-26, 25-15, 25-17 victory over UP, hiking its card to 3-2 for third behind second-running FEU’s 4-1.