UAAP: NU disposes of wily Warriors in straight sets

The National University Bulldogs racked up their second straight win after defeating the UE Lady Warriors in straight sets, 25-14, 25-22, and 25-21, on Saturday, at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
 

Marquee player Dindin Santiago finished with 16 points off 14 attacks and two blocks, carrying a loaded NU team over UE’s excellent defense.
 

“Nahihirapan kaming makareceive,” said NU Head Coach Edjet Mabbayad, as UE tallied 15 service points. “Basta maka-receive kami, tuloy-tuloy na yan.”
 

Carmin Aganon and Jaja Santiago helped generate offense for an NU squad that seemed a step slower, pouring in 13 and 11 points respectively. Their usually-potent blocking produced only two markers this time around, while the team accumulated 25 errors.

 

The Lady Bulldogs now stand at 2-0, while the Lady Warriors start the season on the wrong foot, now with two losses.
 

“Yung mga bata, medyo nao-overconfident sila, nagrerelax sila,” said Coach Mabbayad. “Yun yung nagiging problema namin.”

 

The Lady Bulldogs started with lackadaisical play, committing service errors that kept UE close early at 5-5. NU's offense picked up when the Santiago sisters started up front, using their height and athleticism to power hits through and overwhelm UE. NU held a three-point advantage after the first technical timeout.

 

The Santiago sisters played decoy, while the likes of Aiko Urdas, Myla Pablo, and Aganon took on the scoring cudgels for NU. Errors from Ivy Perez kept the Lady Warriors  within five points, but NU’s hitters found their rhythm to take set one at 25-11.

 

In the second set, errors continued to hamper NU’s play, while the Red Warriors capitalized on open hits to keep the game tied at 10-10. NU started to pull away after a hit by Aganon and two NU errors gave them a three-point edge at 13-10. The Lady Bulldogs continued putting up points via the Santiago sisters, but the Lady Warriors’ reception kept them abreast for most of the set to keep the disadvantage manageable.

 

UE kept it close late in the last few possessions, trimming the lead to two  after rookie Shaya Adorador got one through, 24-22. What she giveth, she taketh away though, as an error by Adorador gave the second set to NU, 25-22.

 

The Lady Warriors continued to stiffen their defense, while NU’s errors continued to cripple any flow they tried to build early on. Two straight aces by Christine Miralles gave UE a three-point lead, the biggest lead they held in the set, until Dindin Santiago and Aganon scored on consecutive hits to level the game at 7-7. UE played catch-up from then on, while NU’s scoring picked up steam courtesy of Jaja Santiago, who scored three points upon rotating in the middle, giving them a 14-9 lead.

 

National U maintained the margin within four points, but a three-point surge from Alcayde, Adorador, and an NU error slashed the Lady Bulldogs lead to just one. A botched NU possession levelled the game at 20-20, before three straight points from Dindin Santiago and Aganon gave NU a commanding 23-20 lead in the last possessions of the last frame. The older Santiago and an error by Alcayde finished the demolition job for NU, 25-21.

 

Sarina Bulan led UE with eight points, five off kills, followed by Alcayde with seven and Adorador with six. The Warriors fared slightly better than NU in terms of service points, 15-14, but succumbed to the opposing team in all categories. - RAF, GMA News