UAAP Volleyball: UST rips AdU, enters Final Four at No. 3

Adamson's losing two of their starting six players to injury, was UST Tigresses' chance for seamless execution. Maru Banaticla scored 15 points on 13 attacks, and Coach Arthur ‘Ogie’ Mamon emptied his bench in the third set, as the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses (9-5) thrashed the hurting Adamson University Lady Falcons (8-6) in three straight sets, Saturday at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan City, in the 74th UAAP women's volleyball tournament. Forced by circumstances to start two erstwhile reserves, the Lady Falcons somehow still found their rhythm early, leading 5-2 after attacks by Pau Soriano and errors from the UST side. The Growling Tigresses, however, watered down that lead after two errors from Lady Falcon Mayette Zapanta and scores from Tigresses Maika Ortiz and Jessey de Leon tied the game at 6-6. Both teams faced seven deadlocks, as they scattered errors and drew contributions from different players, until a service error by Princess Listana gave UST the lead at 18-17. Errors by Zapanta, Soriano and Matet Piza piled on the points for UST while Ortiz, Tunay and Caballejo continued to perforate Adamson’s defense. A drop ball by Judy Caballejo handed the set to UST, 25-22. The Tigresses shaped up in the second set, minimizing errors early and utilizing offensive players such as Mela Tunay, who scored on an astounding combination play to give UST the early lead at 3-2. The injured Shiela Pineda, hurting with a right ankle injury, checked in at the 5-3 mark. Her insertion, however, failed to better things as the Adamson defense continued to lose its groove, as a spike by Banaticla grabbed the lead after a 6-6 deadlock. Team Captain Angelica Quinlog, valued for her leadership and defense, had to take on the scoring cudgels left by Pineda, although Adamson’s offense was shadowed by their continued adjustment on defense, which was still trying to get back on its feet. The wily Lady Falcons cut the deficit to 21-18, but Ortiz, Banaticla and Caballejo hammered away at Adamson’s defense, before Banaticla ended the set at 25-21 after a spike. Adamson’s well-oiled defensive machine crumbled in the last set, as UST built a commanding 10-3 lead after a score by Ingrid Reyes. Adamson’s next three points would come from two UST errors and a lefty spike by Lady Falcon Mimi Togonon, while UST’s starting six continued to claw the ruffled Lady Falcons until the 16-5 mark, when Coach Ogie Mamon emptied his bench. Coach Minerva Dulce Pante had already pulled her starters off the playing court, while Coach Ogie Mamon had used the entire bench, save for middle blocker Midori Hirotsuji. Adamson failed to gain any offensive traction while the Tigresses bullied them throughout the set, with a monstrous block from Ortiz capping off an uneventful set for Adamson, 25-8. Pineda, who, despite managing to play in the second and third sets, played sporadically after incurring a right ankle sprain in training. Setter Jennifer Macatuno also sat the game out with a broken right hand. The Lady Falcons now face the Lady Tamaraws (8-6) in a clincher for the last Final Four spot, after sharing the same win-loss record. — GMA News