V-League: NU remains undefeated, San Sebastian picks up their first win

The defending back-to-back NCAA champions University of Perpetual Help  System Dalta Lady Altas had their hands full against the veteran National University Lady Bulldogs as both teams would go head-to-head in a five-set thriller. It was NU though that escaped with the win, 25-13, 25-21, 23-25, 24-26, and 15-8, as they spoiled the Lady Altas’ comeback bid.   The Santiago sisters, Dindin and Jaja, were on fire at the start of the first set, as their thunderous spikes pierced through the Lady Altas’ blocks. Their sharp, deep, and quick attacks were too much for UPHSD. A series of unforced errors committed by the Lady Altas did not help their cause, as the Lady Bulldogs took full advantage of their shaken opponents. NU cruised to a 25-13 first set win with key contributions from star setter Rubie De Leon and Siemen Dadang. The second set started with the same situation as Dindin Santiago continued her red-hot offense with two service aces and a couple of attacks to give her team an early 6-1 lead. Team captain of the Lady Altas, Honey Royse Tubino, would push her team to within one at 11-10. However, the collective effort of Tubino, Joy Cases, Norie Jane Diaz and April Sartin was not enough, as they failed to take the lead against the Lady Bulldogs, as NU grabbed another set at 25-21. With the consistent performances of Aiko Urdas, Myla Pablo, and Carmina Aganon, the Lady Bulldogs once again started with a strong lead in the third set, 8-3. But the Lady Altas would fight back via guest player Sarrine Agarin’s service game and the Lady Bulldogs responded by uncharacteristically lining-up unforced errors, giving UPHSD a 15-14 lead. It was a short-lived advantage however, as NU surged ahead anew, 20-17, advantage soon after. Despite trailing the majority of the set, the championship experience of the Lady Altas would prove to be vital, as they erupted with a 5-0 scoring run to take the lead at 22-20. With Dindin Santiago carelessly marking in some unforced errors, the University of Perpetual Help finished the comeback with a 25-23 victory. With the Lady Bulldogs rattled by losing the third set, the Lady Altas took advantage, as they led as much as 8-3 by the start of the fourth. Sartin, Cases, and Diaz connected from nearly every angle, as the momentum clearly shifted onto their side. NU however would crawl themselves out of the hole slowly but efficiently, as Santiago led her squad back on top at 18-17. With the Lady Bulldogs already at triple match point at 24-21, the Lady Altas remained aggressive throughout these crucial points. The Lady Bulldogs were unfortunate enough to have their winning point at 25-23 taken away from them, with the sideline official spotting a violation in NU’s part. The Lady Altas would take advantage of the frustrated Lady Bulldogs, to surprise everyone with a 26-24 comeback. However, that would be the last push in the Lady Altas’ arsenal, as the Lady Bulldogs dominated the fifth and final set. Santiago and Pablo proceeded to finish their opponents off, with a score of 15-8. NU's Aleona Santiago had a big game in the five-setter with 36 points to lead all scorers. Rubie De Leon also had 34 excellent sets, compared to her Perpetual Help counterpart Arriane Argarin, who notched just 11. The second game of the day was an NCAA showdown between the San Sebastian Lady Stags and the Letran Lady Knights, with the former getting their first win of the tourney, to keep Letran winless in three outings, 25-17, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23. Fresh from a 38-point outburst, guest player Jeng Bualee remained on fire at the start of the first set, as her team already compiled an 8-4 lead by the first technical timeout. Guest player Su Roces and Jolina Labiano carried the offensive load of San Sebastian, while Bualee was positioned at the back row. Despite the athletic attacks of Melissa Cu and guest player Patcharee Sangmuang, Letran failed to keep up with the Lady Stags, as they dropped the first set, with San Sebastian winning at 25-17. The second set started as a tightly-contested match with eight deadlocks and six lead changes, care of sparks from the role players of both teams, Maria Mallare of San Sebastian and Sarah Jane Espelita of Letran. Within a back-and-forth affair, the Lady Knights were able to grab a 16-13 advantage by the second technical timeout. They then kept momentum on their side, and grabbed the set point advantage at 24-18. Bualee however would not give up on the set, as she rallied her team back with a 5-0 scoring run to inch in a little closer at 24-23. However, the law of averages was on the side of the Lady Knights, as a Melissa Cu attack gave Letran the set at 25-23. The third set was once again a close one with San Sebastian only staking out a one point lead at the first technical timeout, 8-7. The Lady Stags were then able to extend their lead to 14-9, only to be matched by the Lady Knights, as Letran jumped back on top at 16-15. The set was tied a total of 12 times, as the two teams kept exchanging the lead until the very end. San Sebastian however was the one that was able to pull away, 25-23. The two well-matched teams remained consistent up until the fourth set, as the Lady Stags were only holding on to a two-point lead at 8-6 by the first technical time out. With key contributions from Jonah Corpuz, Czarina Berbano and Trisha and Denise Crisostomo, the Lady Stags were able to extend their buffer slightly to 16-13. The Lady Stags then reached match point at 24-17, before the Lady Knights rallied back to cause much panic on the San Sebastian side as Letran reeled off a 6-0 run for their final push. They would fall short however, as San Sebastian picked up their first win of the season at 25-23. San Sebastian was a bit careless throughout the match as their errors gave Letran 35 free points. Fortunately for the Lady Stags, Su Roces was outstanding, as she notched up 19 points and scored five coming from the defensive end with her blocks. Jeng Bualee flashed her usual dynamic offensive game, as she led all scorers once again with 25 points. - CLP / AMD, GMA News

The scores: Game 1 NU – Santiago 36, Pablo 35, Santiago 13, Urdas 7, De Leon 6, Dadang 4 UPH – Tubino 15, Cases 15, Diaz 12, Sartin 9, Delos Santos 4, Argarin 2 Game 2 San Sebastian – Bualee 25, Roces 19, Labiano 18, Mallare 7, Crisostomo 5, Berbano 3, Corpuz 2 Letran – Sangmuang 20, Espelita 10, Cu 10, Ogana 9, Villas 3, Mondejar 1