UAAP volleyball: Lady Eagles beat UE to strengthen Final 4 bid

Expect a mad scramble for the remaining Final Four slots in the 74th UAAP women's volleyball tournament especially with defending champion La Salle, still undefeated after 10 games, already assured of a playoff spot. And Ateneo rookie Alyssa Valdez made sure that the team from Katipunan remains in the running for one of the three remaining semis berth. Valdez had 17 points, blocked three spikes and fired two service aces as the Lady Eagles trounced the University of the East Lady Warriors, 25-21, 25-12, 25-12.   Gretchen Ho added 11 markers while Fille Cainglet scored 10 as Ateneo improved to 8-2 while UE dropped to 3-7. Cainglet drew first blood in the game, spiking through a confounded UE defense.   An error would give Ateneo a 2-0 edge, but UE went on an early 6-1 run as the Lady Warriors found holes on the Lady Eagles' defense. Ateneo would eventually catch up at 12-11, while an Angeline Gervacio spike tied the game at 12-all. Both teams had their own scoring spurts and played in a number of deadlocks before Ateneo inched closer to win the opening set, 24-21. Gervacio’s service ace, however, sealed the deal for Ateneo. Ateneo continued to sizzle in the second frame with Valdez and Cainglet unleashing an offensive blitzkrieg on UE for a 10-1 advantage. The Lady Eagles stretched that lead to 20-6. The Ateneo defense held UE to only 12 points in the second frame. The Lady Warriors only reached double digits when the Lady Eagles already assured of a two-sets-to-none advantage. In the other women's game, University of Santo Tomas kept University of the Philippines winless, 25-15, 25-15, 25-15. Maru Banaticla tallied 17 points while Maika Ortiz notched 15 markers as the Tigresses forced a three-way tie from third to fifth spots with Far Eastern U and Adamson. Angeli Araneta had nine points to lead the Lady Maroons, who have yet to win this season. South Ramos, UP's other top player, only scored two markers. — JVP/KG, GMA News