Lady Bulldogs crush Maroons, stay unbeaten

Games Saturday:

(The Arena, San Juan)

8:30 a.m. – Adamson vs UST (men)

10 a.m. – Ateneo vs La Salle (men)

2 p.m. – UE vs UP (women)

4 p.m. – UST vs FEU (women)

MANILA, Philippines -Dindin and JajaSantiago combined for 29 points as National University made short work of University of the Philippines, 25-17, 25-22, 25-14, for its third straight win yesterday in the UAAP Season 76 women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

All the Bulldogs’ six blocks came from the Santiago sisters as the Bustillos-based spikers played just hard enough to hand the Lady Maroons their sixth consecutive loss.

“I just reminded the girls not to be overconfident,” said NU coach Edjet Mabayyad, whose wards will play Adamson as the matinee for the La Salle-Ateneo match-up on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

UP dropped to last place as it hopes to avoid a 0-7 first round against a 0-6 University of the East side on Saturday.

Angeli Araneta scored nine markers, including two blocks while Kathy Bersola and Sheeka Espinosa added seven markers apiece for the Lady Maroons.

 In men’s play, Peter Torres and Edwin Tolentino had 10 points apiece as defending champion NU routed UE, 25-16, 25-14, 25-22 to move within a win of sweeping the first round. while Far Eastern University, behind Karl dela Calzada’s 20 hits, nipped UP, 17-25, 25-16, 16-25, 25-22, 15-8, to improve to 5-1 slate.

 Earlier in softball, Adamson overcame a hitless first inning to whip UP, 7-0, and extend its remarkable winning streak to 39 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

 The Lady Falcons booked their fifth straight win and are a win away of completing a first round sweep, while sending the Lady Maroons to their second successive defeat.

 UE downed La Salle, 16-7, to join UP at 2-3.

Meanwhile, UP and NU clash in a televised duel to open the second round of men’s football action at the FEU-Diliman pitch.

 The Fighting Maroons-Bulldogs duel at 3 p.m. will be aired live over Balls HD Channel 167.

In other non-televised fixtures, UE and Ateneo take on the pitch at 10 a.m., followed by the La Salle-UST match at 1 p.m.

FEU, which swept the first round with a maximum of 18 points, drew a bye and will face UP on Sunday.

The Red Warriors, who will have ace striker Fitch Arboleda back, finished second in the first round with 10 points, while the Maroons and the Green Archers have nine points in third and fourth spots.