In-form Lady Spikers foil Eagles drive

Drop archrivals to 3rd after elims

MANILA, Philippines — Grandslam-seeking La Salle dealt rival Ateneo a huge blow, foiling the Lady Eagles’ bid for the other Final Four incentive in the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball tourney with an emphatic 26-24, 25-17, 25-19 romp yesterday before a packed MOA Arena.

Though guaranteed of the top semis seeding and twice-to-beat bonus regardless of the outcome of this second-round duel, the Lady Spikers still treated it as crucial and went all out to secure their eighth straight victory and 12th overall in 14 games in front of a 23,243-strong crowd.

La Salle didn’t only sweep Ateneo in the elims but also threw a wrench on the Lady Eagles’ aspirations to force a playoff for No. 2 with Far Eastern, which booked its 10th win at the expense of National U in the first game, 25-21, 25-22, 16-25, 25-20.

“(There’s) less pressure (and it’s a) no-bearing (match for DLSU) pero gusto naming maglaro nang maganda para ma-gain ang confidence, ayaw naming pumasok ng semis na galing sa talo (but we want to play our game efficiently so we can gain confidence heading into the semis),” said DLSU skipper Majoy Baron.

La Salle is set to face NU (7-7), which settled for the No. 4 spot in the semis despite a measly 1-6 record in the second round. Second-seeded FEU, which posted its best record in nine years, will enter its Final Four duel with third-ranked Ateneo (9-5) armed with the win-once perk.

Kim Dy (13), Des Cheng (12), and Tin Tiamzon (11) led the scoring parade for DLSU, which outspiked AdMU by 12 (42-30) and outperformed the latter in the block department, 9-7.

Kat Tolentino punched in 15 for Ateneo, which won’t have the semis bonus for the first time since Season 76.

Earlier, the Lady Tams took care of their business end by prevailing over NU in four. 

“May chance kami na ibalik yung glory years ng FEU, ayaw na naming pakawalan ito (We have chance to bring back the glory years of FEU and we don’t want to waste it),” said FEU coach George Pascua, whose wards are in the Top 2 for the first time since the Season 71 

In men’s play, National U snapped a 13-game losing streak to holder Ateneo with a 25-23, 21-25, 25-23, 25-19 victory to seize the No. 1 spot in the semis while sending the Blue Eagles down to No. 3.

Bryan Bagunas banged in 19 while Kim Malabunga and Madz Gampong added 11 apiece as the Bulldogs broke the stranglehold of AdMU and finished the elims with 12-2. The Tams wound up with the same card after a 23-25, 25-16, 28-26, 25-20 win over la Salle but settled for second seed due to NU’s higher points ratio.