A DECADE of longing to regain their lost UAAP supremacy proved to be long enough for the UST Lady Spikers as they made mincemeat of the their highly-touted rival Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws in an emphatic 25-11, 25-22, 25-19 title-clinching victory before a frenzied crowd last Feb.21 at the Blue Eagle Gym.
Except for a few possessions in the second set, UST dictated the tempo for most of the game as typified by its balanced scoring attack of down-the-line hits that greatly punctured FEU’s defense.
“We won because everyone did well and fulfilled their roles,” assistant coach Cesael delos Santos told the Varsitarian. Delos Santos took over the coaching cudgels in lieu of UST longtime volleyball mentor, August Sta. Maria, who was down with measles.
UST established an early 5-0 lead in the third set ignited by an open-court hit from Season 69 Best Scorer Venus Bernal that set the tone for the rest of the match.
The Lady Tamaraws still managed to close in at 12-15, but UST was quick to put out the fire with a 7-2 blast capped by an Aiza Maizo quick hit for a 22-14 buffer.
UST sophomore sensation Ma. Angeli Tabaquero also made sure that UST would as she halted every comeback that FEU would muster with her drops and open-court kills in the homestretch.
Seemingly stymied, FEU’s Wendyanne Semana muffed on her service that finally handed the title over to UST.
With 12 points (10 of them on kills) and a block, Tabaquero won the Best Player of the Game honor for the second straight game.
In the second set, tricky drops and smooth floaters pushed UST ahead at 20-13, but FEU made a determined stand to come within two at 24-22. But UST proved to be too tough to handle with Bernal taking charge through her patented down-the-line spike.
Earlier, Balse, Bernal, and Tabaquero combined to score 50 scintillating points to power UST in its redeeming Finals Game 1 victory over FEU, 25-14, 25-23, 21-25, 25-20.
In the third set, with the score tied at 20, Balse and Bernal rose to the occasion with their quick hits to score UST’s last five points that left the FEU crew in tatters.
After breezing past FEU in the first two sets, UST registered a lethargic third set and trailed by as much as 11 points, 9-20, en route to handing the set to FEU.
Tabaquero took Player of the Game honors with 17 points, nine on kills.
Last Feb. 14, UST cruised to the finals after drubbing Adamson University (Adamson), 25-13 25-18 25-13, in the Game 2 of the Final Four. Bernal led UST with 13 points.
Interestingly, UST suffered a nailbiter loss to FEU in the playoff for the top spot, 22-25, 25-22, 21-25, 27-25, 11-15. Bernal once again paced the Lady Spikers with 21 points.
UST’s Denise Tan won the Best Setter award.
FEU won three individual awards: Mecaila Morada (Rookie of the Year), Mary Ann Manalo (Best Spiker), and Rachel Anne Daquis (Best Server), while Patricia Taganas and Bea Pascual (Ateneo) and Nang Adajar won the Best Digger, Best Blocker, and Best Receiver award, respectively.
“I did not expect to win the award (MVP) because of an equally great performances of my teammates, especially Angeli (Tabaquero),” Bernal said. “But I’ll gladly take it.”
Not enough
Meanwhile, the rookie-laden UST Tiger Spikers settled for third place in a heartbreaking Final Four loss to the University of the Philippines (UP), 23-25, 20-25, 27-25, 20-25 last Feb. 14 at the Blue Eagle Gym.
“It could have been better if we entered the finals, but I understand the fact that they are still rookies who have a lot to learn,” UST Volleyball coach Emiliano Lontoc told the Varsitarian.
Roque temporarily gave UST a fighting chance in the third set after nailing two consecutive explosive spikes to break the deadline at for a 27-25 win. The other sets, however, were a different story as UST struggled to defend itself against UP’s array of hits from all places of the court.
In the first Final Four match last Feb. 11, UST stopped UP, 25-16, 23-25, 25-19, 25-23, to force a rubber match.
However, UST did not bid the contest empty-handed as spiker Marlon Macabulos won Rookie-of-the-Year honors.
