Lady Tamaraws on a roll, trounce Maroons

MANILA, Philippines -- The Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws simply could not be stopped.

The Lady Tamaraws charged to their fifth straight win in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament after walloping the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 25-20, 27-29, 25-21, 25-21, Saturday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Faida Bakanke led FEU with 19 points, 11 coming in the first set alone, off 16 attacks, two blocks and a service ace.

With the game tied at 20 late in the fourth set, UP tried to extend the match to a fifth set.

However, three straight points by the Lady Tamaraws off a net touch by UP, a block by Mitzi Panangin and a kill by Chen Tagaod, gave them a big 23-20 lead.

After a service error by Jean Asis, Tagaod punched in a point that put them at match point, 24-21.

A block by Panangin on Steph Bustrillo secured the Morayta-based squad’s fifth straight win of the tourney.

FEU showed its mastery in the first set as Bakanke looked like a woman possessed.

The Maroons though brought in the fight in the second set, providing a gutsy performance to extend the match to a fourth set.

In the third set, the Lady Tamaraws exhibited resolve as they went up two sets to one.

With the win, the fourth-seeded team rose to 9-3 to go within a game of the third-seeded University of Santo Tomas. UP, on the other hand, dropped to 1-12 in the season.

FEU will try to win their sixth straight match against the red-hot National University Lady Bulldogs on April 24. The Fighting Maroons will look to end their season on a high note against the University of the East Lady Red Warriors on April 27.

Both games will be played at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.