La Salle stops streaking UST, nails 2nd twice-to-beat berth

MANILA, Philippines -- De La Salle fashioned out a 25-21, 25-9, 25-18 victory over University of Santo Tomas to clinch the remaining twice-to-beat semifinals incentive in the UAAP Season 77 women's volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Arena.     

"Siguro, maganda lang inilaro ng mga bata at na-execute yung iniaral nila sa scouting," said Lady Spikers mentor Ramil de Jesus after his troops claimed their 10th victory in 11 matches to assure themselves of finishing in the Top 2 after the end of eliminations, while halting the Tigresses' four-game winning run.     
        
Ara Galang took over the scoring mantle once more for La Salle as she bounced back from a slump by hitting 15 of her 17 points for attacks while Cyd Demecillo tossed in 12 markers.
            
Earlier, defending champion Ateneo streaked to its 11th straight win by tripping Far Eastern University, 25-23, 25-21, 25-23.  
     
The Lady Eagles, who are assured of a twice-to-beat incentive in the semis and are also on track for an outright Finals stint, prevailed even without rookie middle hitter Bea de Leon, who suffered an index finger injury.       

"It's different. Iba pa rin yung attitude ni Bea (de Leon) inside the court. Iba yung attitude naman ni Maddie (Madayag). We have to adjust talaga and we were glad we were able to survive this game," said Alyssa Valdez, who finished with 23 hits, including two service aces, and collected seven digs to lead the way for Ateneo.     
        
Amy Ahomiro had 13 points, including five service aces, while Madayag chipped in four points in her first start for the Lady Eagles.                     
       
La Salle took only 70 minutes to dispose UST in a game which was expected to be a dogfight.      
       
The Tigresses went back to the below .500 mark, losing for the sixth time in 11 starts, although the Espana-based spikers stayed in third place.  
        
EJ Laure, Pam Lastimosa and Ria Meneses could only muster six markers apiece, while Carmela Tunay was a major letdown for UST, scoring only three points.       

The Lady Tamaraws, who lost two straight and dropped to 4-7 card in seventh place, started strong in every set but could not close it out when it really needed.       

Ateneo escaped only with the victory after FEU committed two straight errors, a service fault by Toni Rose Basas and an illegal block by Kyle Negrito.       
        
Bernadette Pons led the Lady Tamaraws with 13 hits and six digs, while rookie Jerrili Malabanan contributed nine markers.       
       
It was a day of upsets in the men's division, as FEU (5-6) kept its Final Four hopes alive with a  22-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-23 victory over Adamson (8-3), while also-ran La Salle (3-8) dealt titleholder NU (7-4) a third straight loss, hacking out a 26-24, 25-19, 25-22 win.