V-League: Altas survive NCAA match-up in four, NU continues to dominate

 

(Updated 6:48 pm) The University of Perpetual Help System Dalta Lady Altas and the National University Lady Bulldogs picked up quarterfinals wins, Tuesday in their respective Shakey's V-League quarterfinals match-ups, at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan. In the first game, Perpetual survived a second set slip to best the San Sebastian College-Recoletos Lady Stags, 25-19, 25-27, 25-23 and 25-22, and even their card at 1-1 in Quarters-Group II. SSC-R on the other hand dropped to 0-3. The Lady Stags got off to a quick start care of Maria Ara Mallare’s precise service game, accompanied by incredible hang-time action displayed by team captain, Su Roces. San Sebastian carried an 11-6 lead and were on pace for an easy set. However, the defending NCAA champions easily managed the five-point deficit, as they forced the Lady Stags into multiple errors. Their mid-air jousting and smooth on-court communication propelled them to a 15-14 lead. April Sartin continued her contributions on offense, while Sandra Delos Santos and Honey Royse Tubino’s blocking made sure no Lady Stag could produce easy points.   It was a flurry of unforced errors from that point on for San Sebastian, as the Lady Altas cruised into a 25-19 set victory. UPHSD opened the second set with three straight points, only to be answered back and outmatched via a Lady Stags 5-0 scoring run. It was all Jeng Bualee for San Sebastian, as she helped extend SSC-R's lead to 10-6. Reigning NCAA MVP Delos Santos, however kept the Lady Altas within striking distance with her incredible length and reach for the free balls, delivering in points for her team. With Tubino, Joy Cases and Norie Diaz remaining aggressive despite trailing, Perpetual Help managed to regain the lead at 19-18. From that point, the set would go down the wire as both teams forged a deadlock in seven different occasions. The Lady Stags however won the second set, behind the pressure-defying late-game performances of Czarina Berbano and Gretchel Soltones, 27-25. With San Sebastian creating a tied series with one won set each, the Lady Stags unleashed an all-out attack against the Lady Altas, as they easily cruised to an eight-point lead at 12-4 early in the third. They extended their lead to ten by the second technical timeout of the set, 16-6, care of Soltones and Berbano scoring in bunches. The Lady Altas struggled throughout the set, due to miscommunication and sloppy movement on the court, as Su Roces brought the Lady Stags to their biggest lead at 19-7. UPHSD however regained the momentum, as Joy Cases and Delos Santos scared the Lady Stags with a flawless 9-0 scoring run, letting them inch in closer at 19-15. Tubino’s front-row presence would tie the set at 22 and Diaz’s service ace would give the Lady Altas the 23-22 lead. It would be Tubino once again who delivered for the Lady Altas as they shocked the Lady Stags with one of the greatest comebacks of the season with the score of 25-23. With the momentum all on UPHSD’s side, they cruised to a 15-9 lead as Delos Santos dominating in every aspect of the game, but especially with her blocking and well-placed power tips. However, Jeng Bualee would take a page out of the Lady Altas’ playbook as she delivered a comeback of her own, delivering a 6-0 run to tie the set at 15. While her heroics gave the Lady Stags the lead at 17-16, it was short-lived, as Perpetual Help regained their composure, and the lead, at 21-18. The Lady Stags got a boost from Jonah Corpuz, who knotted things after back-to-back services aces, 21-all. That though turned out to be the Lady Stags' final push, as Tubino delivered the finishing blow at 25-22. San Sebastian's Jeng Bualee once again led all scorers, tallying 28 points in their loss. On the other side, Sandra Delos Santos and Honey Royse Tubino notched 17 points each for the Lady Altas’ big win. The second match of the day saw the red-hot NU Lady Bulldogs, fresh off their three-set sweep of the previously undefeated Ateneo Lady Eagles, wallop the La Salle Dasmarinas Lady Patriots in another straight sets win, 25-13, 25-13, 25-21, establishing themselves as the team to beat in this conference. The Lady Bulldogs started the first set strong with a 5-0 scoring run. With Aiko Urdas, Myla Pablo, Rubie De Leon, and the Santiago sisters leading the way on offense, the Lady Patriots struggled to keep up with NU’s pace. Despite sparks of brilliance from Cherry Rose Nunag, the Lady Patriots simply had no answer from Dindin Santiago’s well-placed shots and ferocious spikes as the Lady Bulldogs pulled away to take the first by a score of 25-13. It was the same story in the second set as the Lady Bulldogs continued to hit from almost every conceivable angle on the court, as they quickly cruised to 13-5 advantage. With Carmina Aganon stepping up for NU, the Lady Bulldogs had no difficulty racking up the points. Dindin Santiago then delivered a signature emphatic spike near the end of the set, to put her team on top 2-0, via a score of 25-13. With the Lady Patriots placed in a must-win situation, Nunag, Lari Yongco and Monique Santiago caught the Lady Bulldogs off-guard as they got off to a 6-0 start. Guest player Jennifer Manzano stepped up with her defense as she helped DLSU-Dasmarinas maintain their momentum. It was all Lady Patriots early in the third, as they extended their lead to 16-11 by the second technical timeout. Despite a multitude of errors, the Lady Bulldogs continued to be aggressive and carried on what they do best, deliver block-piercing spikes. With Pablo and Santiago facilitating the attacking duties, the Lady Patriots' composure wilted. After Urdas knotting the set tied at 18-all, the NU Lady Bulldogs did not look back. They bulldozed through Lady Patriots, into the finish line, taking the set and the match at 25-21. The Santiago sisters scored in double figures as Dindin produced 14 while Jaja accounted for 11. Myla Pablo also had a good outing, with 13 for the Lady Bulldogs. NU dominated the spikes category as they smashed in 46, completely out-playing DLSU-Dasmarinas, which racked up a mere 18.  - CLP/AMD, GMA News