THE COMEBACKING UST Lady Spikers walloped an out-of-sync Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws, 25-13, 25-17, 25-12 to notch their second straight victory in the fifth season of the Shakey’s V-League last Nov. 11 at The Arena in San Juan.
UST now tote a 3-1 win loss card.
“The team has already loosened up. The rookies are really improving. We are aiming to take another shot at the title this season.” coach Cesael Delos Santos told the Varsitarian.
Hardly missing the services of ace libero Rhea Dimaculangan, the Lady Spikers shattered an early five-all deadlock with a telling 4-0 run led by guest player Mary Jean Balse before rookie sensation Judy Ann Caballejo took over.
The 5-foot-11 Caballejo typified UST’s defense atop the net, dusting off the petty attacks of the Morayta-based crew to give the Lady Spikers a sizeable 18-10 first-set advantage.
With FEU mainstay Rachelle Ann Daquis struggling to regain her offensive form, UST ravaged the Lady Tamaraws anew in the second set. From a slim 7-4 margin, the Lady Spikers zoomed to an insurmountable 14-8 lead capped by a 5-0 tear on Venus Bernal’s crosscourt kills that set the UST rout in motion.
The Lady Spikers bombarded FEU with a variety of shots come third set to take a 19-10 headway and eventually seal the outcome from thereon.
Balse paced the Lady Spikers with 11 points while Aiza Maizo added nine.
In its earlier games, UST halted the erstwhile undefeated De La Salle University Lady Archers’ winning streak to post a 17-25, 25-22, 25-23, 17-25, 16-14 win last Nov. 4
UST’s conquest of La Salle came at the heels of a 25-23, 21-25, 9-25, 20-25 defeat at the hands of the league-leading Adamson University Lady Falcons last Nov. 2.
The Lady Spikers meanwhile announced their return in the league with a 25-13, 25-17, 20-25, 25-16 thrashing of the College of St. Benilde Lady Blazers last Oct. 19.
UST skipped the tournament’s first conference last May due to head coach August Santamaria’s health problems as well as the players’ academic commitments.
